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what does a yellow flame on a gas furnace indicate

by Prof. Destin Rolfson I Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

A yellow furnace flame is a sign that your heat exchanger or burner is dirty. It may also be due to excess carbon in the air supply, gas pressure problems, low airflow through your vent system, or improper combustion settings on your thermostat. Therefore, it’s important to fix your yellow furnace flame as soon as possible.

An unstable flickering yellow or orange flame is an indication that the furnace is not producing an appropriate mixture of gas and oxygen. Ignoring this sign can lead to a large gas leak and lead to disaster. If a yellow or orange flame is noticed the furnace should be shut down until a professional can inspect it.Sep 20, 2014

Full Answer

What does a yellow flame mean on a gas furnace?

What does a yellow flame on a gas furnace indicate? A yellow or orange flame means that too much gas and/or not enough oxygen is being used when burning. Another symptom is a black, sooty residue, as the gas does not burn cleanly.

How to fix yellow flame on gas furnace?

Standard Solutions

  • An LPG gas connection is better and safer than other conventional gas connections. ...
  • Before you light up a burner, make sure that the burner caps are evenly placed on the top. ...
  • If a yellow flame still exists, you may have to disassemble and rearrange all the components of the burners and correct their placements. ...

More items...

Why is my furnace flame burning yellow?

Why Is My Furnace Flame Burning Yellow?

  • Burning Tutorial. To burn, natural gas must be mixed in just the right amounts with oxygen. ...
  • Too Much Gas. One possible cause of the problem is too much gas. ...
  • Not Enough Air. Another possible cause is too little air. ...
  • Professional Service. ...

What does a yellow flame mean on a gas stove?

Yellow flames on gas stoves are almost always an indication that there is incomplete combustion. While it might not sound so bad, incomplete combustion leads to the release of carbon monoxide which is a pretty harmful gas, to say the least.

How do you fix a yellow flame on a furnace?

Dirt in the burner is the most common cause of a yellow flame, and it prevents the gas and air from mixing properly. A call to a technician for cleaning and evaluation is needed to fix that problem.

What does a yellow flame on a furnace mean?

carbon monoxideYellow – In addition to being a sign of inefficient combustion, yellow flames indicate the production of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that can cause headaches, nausea, hallucinations, and in severe cases, blackouts.

What does an orange furnace flame mean?

A blue flame from your furnace or gas stove indicates that the gas has become completely combustible. If your burner flame is yellow, orange or red, this usually indicates that it's not receiving enough air for complete combustion.

What color are flame supposed to be in furnace?

blueThe burner flames from your natural gas furnace should look blue or almost completely blue. A healthy natural gas furnace flame is characterized by a roaring blue flame with a light blue triangle in its center. There may be a tiny tip of yellow.

What is the difference between a yellow gas flame and an orange gas flame?

There is a yellow flame. Carbon monoxide is produced. The burning of dust is represented by the orange flame.

How do you fix a orange flame on a gas heater?

The orange flame is a red flag, and you need to clean the gas stove, which is an excellent DIY project. Remember to unclog the orifices, clean the burner of any debris, switch off the humidifier, regulate the air shatter and dismantle the whole stove before reassembling.

Why is my gas flame orange and not blue?

If you see orange, yellow or red flames instead of blue flames, the burners may need cleaning or adjusting. The orange colour warns you that the gas stove has inappropriate combustion, and it may emit treacherous levels of carbon monoxide gas (CO).

How do I adjust the flame on my furnace?

All you will need to do is to twist the adjustment screw of the flame till the flame goes from one and half inches to two inches, which is about 4 to 5 centimeters high. Look for the adjustment screw on the pilot assembly close to the gas valve if the control valve has this adjustment feature.

What are the signs of a cracked heat exchanger?

Six Signs Your Furnace Heat Exchanger May be CrackedStrange smells. A malfunctioning heat exchanger will often create an unpleasant and strong odor that smells similar to formaldehyde.Soot Build-up. ... Corrosion & Cracks. ... Change in the flame appearance. ... Audible Sounds. ... Presence of Carbon Monoxide.

How often does a gas furnace need to be replaced?

The average furnace lasts approximately 18–20 years, though the actual number depends on the furnace itself and the level of care put into maintaining it during its lifespan.

How high should a flame be on a gas furnace?

one and half inches to two inchesAdjusting the pilot flame height should not be too hard. All you will need to do is to twist the adjustment screw of the flame till the flame goes from one and half inches to two inches, which is about 4 to 5 centimeters high.

What does it mean when a gas flame turns yellow?

With too much gas or oxygen, the flame will burn poorly or not at all. A yellow or orange flame means that too much gas and/or not enough oxygen is being used when burning. Another symptom is a black, sooty residue, as the gas does not burn cleanly.

What does it mean when a furnace is blue?

The color of the flame from a gas furnace can be used to diagnose problems in the furnace itself. If it is in good working order, the flame should be blue, with only very little yellow at the tip of the flame's inner cone. If the flame is mostly yellow or orange, this signifies a major, and potentially dangerous, problem.

Why is my air shutter burning?

Another possible cause is too little air. This may happen because the air shutter is improperly configured, because it is damaged or because it is blocked. This may be easier to fix than a problem with the burning orifice: a repair technician will clean the air shutter and adjust it to achieve the correct air-gas mixture.

Is it dangerous to use a natural gas stove?

Dealing with natural gas appliances such as furnaces and stoves is a tricky and dangerous business that should be done by a licensed professional. This problem in particular, since it can have a variety of causes that are difficult to diagnose individually, calls with special urgency for the service of a professional.

What does it mean when a flame turns yellow?

When the flame turns yellow or orange, it means your burner is not taking enough air for perfect and complete combustion. The main problem of incomplete or improper combustion is carbon monoxide. In this improper combustion process, a large amount of carbon monoxide is produced. As you know, it is a colorless, tasteless, ...

Why is my burner turning yellow?

If that happens, surely, the fuel supply will not be adequate enough for proper combustion. Consequently, it will result in incomplete combustion and the yellow or orange flame will show up .

What does the color of a gas burner mean?

Well, simply the color indicates the condition of the gas burner. Generally, bluish is the common color for your furnace flame. However, you may notice flames of different colors on your furnaces. Yellow and orange colors are common to show up. When this problem shows up, you should show your concern and take the right precautions as well.

Why is my burner orange?

It needs a proper mixture of air and fuel to ensure perfect combustion. When by any chance, the supply of fuel gets disturbed , it results in improper combustion. That is when and why the burner flame becomes yellow and orange.

How to prevent yellow flames?

So here are the precautions you can take to prevent these yellow or orange flame problems. You should install a carbon monoxide detector that will detect the carbon gas level and keep you safe. Make sure you do furnace/heating maintenance professionally regularly to ensure everything is running well.

What color should a flame be in a propane burner?

In conclusion, you must ensure a blue flame instead of an orange, yellow, or red flame in your burner. Otherwise, you may experience some serious danger that you surely don’t want. So make sure you inspect everything to solve the yellow color flame problem as quickly as you see it.

What color is the furnace?

The original color of the flame for your furnace is bluish to completely blue. Yes, you may observe some yellowish color right in the middle of the flame. That is completely natural unless the flame turns yellow. A blue flame ensures complete combustion and provides a strong and powerful flame to burn.

What does a yellow flame on a gas stove mean?

A gas cooker yellow flame indicates a combustion problem. A gas cooker or stove should have a blue flame. Gas stove temperature is not the same as the gas flame temperature, which has a maximum of almost 2,000°C. The actual gas stove temperature range is typically from about 90°C to no more than 300°C.

What causes a flame to turn yellow?

The flame colour changes to orange, yellow or red flame and the flame wavers. The yellow/orange/red colour is created by carbon soot particles in the flame, produced as the result of incomplete methane gas combustion.

What is the difference between a blue flame and a yellow flame?

Blue and Yellow Flame. As it relates to hydrocarbon gases, blue flame is indicative of complete combustion whilst a yellow flame indicates incomplete combustion. An LPG blue flame also burns hotter, at around 1,980°C, vs about 1,000°C for a yellow flame.

What does it mean when a propane flame is red?

Red flames or propane-natural gas flame color orange, instead of a blue flame, may mean signs of incomplete combustion, wasted gas and a serious safety hazard . With hydrocarbon flames, such as gas, the amount of oxygen supplied with the gas determines the rate of gas combustion, flame colour and temperature.

What does a blue flame mean in a gas burner?

A natural gas blue flame indicates that the burner is providing the correct air-fuel mixture, with sufficient oxygen for complete combustion at the burner. A blue flame burns the fuel completely producing carbon dioxide, water and heat. The natural gas flame temperature is about 1,960°C.

What color does methane burn?

Methane gas does also burn with a yellow, orange or red color, when there is incomplete combustion, with a methane gas flame temperature is about 1,000 °C. Ethane, propane, butane and isobutane do also burn with a blue flame color. Methane gas is the primary constituent of natural gas and it burns with a blue color flame.

Why is my gas stove yellow?

A yellow or red flames on gas stove is dangerous, as it is indicative of incomplete combustion and carbon monoxide (CO) generation. A gas cooker yellow flame is a dangerous safety problem, if it occurs with an indoor appliance like a gas stove.

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