How To Look At A House
McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of
site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes
What does an orange or yellow flame at gas furnace mean?
Friday, December 3, 2021
A natural gas flame should be blue, with maybe just a small streak of orange at the tip, which indicates proper combustion. Any other color means incomplete gas combustion; which can be due to insufficient air supply, dirt buildup, or even a cracked heat exhangler. An orange or yellow flame also increases the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) produced.
We recommend you take a peek at your gas burners, while they are operating, at the beginning of the each heating season. If you don’t like the color of the flame, or the flame pattern is irregular or wavering, like in the photo below, call a service tech for further evaluation. An even better idea is to have a service contract with a heating and air conditioning company that checks your complete system annually.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
To learn more about gas furnace systems, see these other blog posts:
• Why is the base of the gas flue at the roof red?
• Where is the air filter for my central furnace? I can’t find it?
• What is the required clearance for access and working space in front of a furnace or air handler?
• What is the minimum slope of a flue connector for a gas furnace or water heater?
• When is it acceptable to use indoor air as combustion air for a furnace?
• Is a furnace allowed in a bedroom, bathroom, or an adjoining closet?
• Can the return air be in the same room as the gas furnace?
• What color should the flame be in a natural gas furnace?
Visit our HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.
Click Below
for Links
to Collections
of Blog Posts
by Subject
Top 5 results given instantly.
Click on magnifying glass
for all search results.
Search
This
Site
Buying a home in North/Central Florida? Check our price for a team inspection by two FL-licensed contractors and inspectors. Over 8,500 inspections completed in 20+ years. In a hurry? We will get it done for you.
