The hot-surface igniter is the component that actually lights the burner, and a cracked or weak igniter is one of the most common causes of no-heat calls.
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Quick answer
A gas boiler's hot-surface igniter is an electrically heated element, commonly a silicon carbide or silicon nitride rod, that glows hot enough to light the gas-air mixture at the burner when the control board calls for ignition, replacing the standing pilot lights used on older boilers. It fails most often from a hairline crack that develops with repeated heating and cooling cycles, from age-related resistance drift that leaves it unable to reach ignition temperature, or from physical damage during other service work. A licensed technician confirms failure with a resistance or visual check before replacing what is a small, relatively inexpensive part.
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Older gas boilers used a small standing pilot flame that burned continuously, ready to light the main burner at any time. Most modern residential boilers instead use a hot-surface igniter, an electrical element that only heats up briefly during an ignition attempt, glowing hot enough to ignite the gas-air mixture the instant the gas valve opens. This design uses less gas overall since nothing burns continuously between heating calls, but it introduces a component that must reliably reach ignition temperature within a very short window every single cycle.
Because the igniter only needs to work for a few seconds at a time, wear tends to accumulate slowly across many, many cycles rather than showing up as sudden failure, though a crack can also develop and fail abruptly.
A boiler that makes no attempt to fire at all when heat is called for, sometimes with a faint clicking or humming sound but no ignition, points toward the igniter or gas valve rather than the flame sensor, which typically fails after a brief ignition attempt rather than before one. Homeowners should not attempt to inspect or handle the igniter directly, since it is a fragile, electrically hot component inside the gas-fired burner compartment.
Igniters are not repairable; once resistance testing or a visible crack confirms failure, replacement is the only path, and it is a routine, inexpensive, same-visit repair on almost all residential boilers. Because the part is small and fragile, technicians handle it carefully during installation, since even a new igniter can crack if flexed or gripped incorrectly, which is one more reason this remains a licensed-technician task rather than a homeowner project.
Safety note
Igniter service takes place inside the gas-fired burner compartment and involves an electrically hot component; only a licensed gas fitter should perform this work. If you ever smell gas near the boiler or water heater, leave the home immediately and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 before doing anything else.
A failed or cracked igniter is one of the most common reasons a boiler makes no visible or audible ignition attempt at all when heat is called for.
It is one of the less costly boiler parts and is typically a quick, same-visit repair once confirmed as the cause.
This requires accessing the gas-fired burner compartment and using a meter correctly, so it should be left to a licensed technician.
Manufacturers do not publish a guaranteed lifespan, and it depends heavily on how many ignition cycles the boiler goes through, so replacement is based on confirmed failure rather than a fixed schedule.
It is uncommon but can happen if the part is mishandled during installation or if an underlying issue, such as incorrect voltage, is stressing the element; your technician checks for that if a repeat failure occurs.
No, they are different components with different jobs: the igniter lights the burner, while the flame sensor separately confirms afterward that a real flame is present.
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