The residents of Jenks, a Tulsa suburb in Oklahoma, know the area’s cold and snowy winters well. Almost every night here from December to February, it dips below freezing. The daytime during these shorter months is no better, bringing clouds and a mere ten hours of direct sunlight that makes it feel cooler than it is.
In these conditions, you need all heating equipment parts to work optimally, including critical elements like your furnace gas pressure. The furnace might be your only refuge during the winter. This heating system creates a controlled indoor climate for your comfort and safety, but that won’t get you far without a reputable furnace repair company in Jenks, OK, on hand.
Below, Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric’s five-star team explains low gas pressure causes, signs, and solutions. The team is here for your furnace’s maintenance, repairs, installations, and everything in between.
How Do Gas Furnaces Work?
Unlike electric furnaces, gas units demand a healthy gas flow from the gas supply line. Here’s how they work:
- The propane or natural gas travels to the furnace’s burner assembly, where it ignites into a flame via combustion.
- This flame creates heat, which moves into the heat exchanger.
- From there, the furnace blower and fan move household air into the now-hot heat exchanger, warming it up.
The heated air then re-enters your home.
What Signs Does Low Gas Pressure Relay in Your Jenks Home
Does your Jenks heating system use gas? What happens if the furnace gas pressure isn’t up to par?
According to Bill Johnson’s ACHR News series on HVACR services, every cubic foot of gas requires an average of 10 cubic feet of air for proper combustion. It may take slightly less air for proper combustion, but lower gas pressure causes incomplete combustion regardless. That means the fuel hasn’t burned completely, creating less heat for the heat exchanger.
If you’re only receiving lukewarm or unaltered cool air blowing through your air vents, you’ll have an uncomfortable indoor climate. Your furnace will also keep running, trying to reach the thermostat setting to no avail. Expect this inefficient process to:
- Raise energy bills
- Overheat the furnace, triggering the safety mechanism to shut it down
- Cause short cycling
- Lead to premature furnace wear and tear
You’ll also find yourself calling for numerous repairs and an early replacement unless you can catch the problem as you notice these signs that your Jenks furnace gas pressure is low:
- Yellow or weakly lit pilot light
- The furnace won’t ignite
- Loud or weird noises during heating cycles
- High CO levels
Causes of Insufficient Pressure in Jenks Furnaces
So, now you know how to read the signs of low furnace pressure, but can you prevent the problem in the first place? Start with the basics. For example, the most common culprit in pressure issues is a dirty or clogged furnace gas line.
The gas supply line sits outside, picking up dirt, dust, and leaves during installation or as corrosion or ground shifting occurs. If cracks and holes develop along the pipe’s surface, these contaminants may enter and obstruct the line. However, the bigger problem is that this hole will also let gas leak out of the line, which will reduce furnace efficiency and lower gas pressure – and pose a safety hazard!
How can you tell if there’s a gas leak on your Jenks property? If there are hissing or squealing sounds near your gas line, a rotten egg smell, or dying vegetation nearby, watch out. A leak might be the cause of a furnace gas pressure issue, but you should also consider the following:
- A faulty gas pressure regulator improperly controls the gas pressure
- Gas meter issues causing incorrect settings
- Incorrect unit sizing
- Gas valve malfunctions
These issues need a professional hand to remedy safely.
Remedying Low Gas Pressure in Jenks, Oklahoma, With Quality Care
Aside from clearing debris around your gas line outside your home and near your furnace inside, there’s not much else you can do about dirty lines and leaks. Handling gas and gas lines is also exceptionally dangerous for you, your family, and your home. Please stay safe and call a professional instead – a licensed technician will check your furnace and other gas appliances are up to code.
At Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electric, our team has over 30 years of combined experience and checks every part of your furnace, from the gas manifold to the safety shutoff valve. Whether you want to learn about bad plumbing or rebalance your furnace gas pressure in Jenks, Oklahoma, we’re here for you. Contact our #1 team today!
