How to Light Your Furnace’s Pilot
- Make sure the thermostat is in heat mode.
- Locate the pilot valve.
- Always turn the valve knob to the off position and make sure to wait at least several minutes for any residual gas to clear away.
- Get your match ready.
- Once the pilot stays lit, turn the pilot valve to the on position.
What do you do if your pilot light won’t stay lit?
If your pilot light won’t stay alight, it might be the thermocouple. Sometimes dust buildup collects on the thermocouple and blocks the sensor. Try cleaning the thermocouple and then relighting the pilot light. If it continues to go out, the thermocouple might need to be replaced.
How do pilot lights stay lit?
A pilot light means heat, and it also means fuel usage. That flame doesn’t stay ignited by magic it needs gas. Which means as long as that light is on, you’re using your fuel supply to maintain it.
Why does my gas pilot light keep going out?
Usually, a problem with the thermocouple causes the pilot light to go out. The thermocouple is the small copper rod that the pilot light hits. The thermocouple’s job is to shut a gas safety valve if the pilot light goes out. That’s important because gas is always being supplied to the pilot to keep the flame lit.
Why does my pilot light go out when I release the pilot light knob?
The most likely of those is that the thermocouple needs to be replaced. The button you press to light the pilot bypasses the thermocouple. When you release the button, the thermocouple ensures that unburned gas doesn’t get released by shutting off the gas when it’s not heated by the burning pilot light.
Why won’t the pilot stay lit on my wall heater?
The Pilot Won’t Stay Lit
A pilot that won’t stay lit could be the result of a blockage in the pilot tube. Turn off the gas, clear the tube with compressed air, and relight the pilot. If that doesn’t work, you may need to call a repairman to come and install a new thermocouple.
Why does my pilot light keep going out on my hot water heater?
Your thermocouple senses when your pilot light is burning.If it senses that your water heater pilot light keeps going out, the thermocouple will shift off the gas supply to the heater. Over time, thermocouples can malfunction, accumulate dust buildup, or the device can get bent away from the pilot light’s flame.
Should pilot light stay on in gas fireplace?
We recommend that you turn off your gas fireplace pilot light seasonally. Turning off your gas fireplace’s pilot light can save a substantial amount of energy and money. It is important to remember that not all gas fireplaces have standing pilot light, or, a pilot light that is always on.
Does a gas fireplace pilot light stay on?
Most gas fireplaces rely on a continuous pilot light, a type of pilot that remains lit so long as gas is flowing to the unit. Some newer, more energy-efficient models rely on an electronic ignition that only lights the pilot when the fireplace itself is turned on.
Should I turn off the pilot light on my gas fireplace in the summer?
Your Utility Bill
Perhaps the most important reason to turn off gas fireplace pilot light in summer is because of the money and energy you will be saving. If you leave the pilot light on during the summer it is simply sitting there burning gas, which is wasting gas and contributing to an exorbitant energy bill.
Why won’t my pilot light stay lit on my propane heater?
If the thermocouple is too far from the flame, this can cause the pilot to go out and shut down the propane heater; you can fix this easily by moving the thermocouple closer to the flame. The thermocouple could also be worn out, in which case it needs to be replaced.
How do you fix a gas fire that keeps going out?
Easy DIY Fix: Gas Fireplace Won’t Stay Lit
- Before You Begin: Is Your Pilot Light Lit Inside Fireplace?
- The Fix: Pilot Light to Gas Fireplace Won’t Stay Lit.
- Check Your Thermopile Output with the TH/TP Contacts.
- Don’t Replace Your Thermopile or Thermocouple Right Away.
- Cleaning the Thermopile.
- Re-test the Cleaned Thermopile.
How do you trick a thermocouple?
The thermocouple always thinks the pilot is not lit, even if it is. To get hot water, I have to light the pilot, then hold the match on the thermocouple to trick it into thinking the pilot light is touching it. Once it’s warm enough, I pull the match out and turn the knob from “Pilot” to “On”.
Can you clean a thermocouple?
Yes, you can clean a thermocouple, but the task must be done with a light touch. Remove the thermocouple from the process assembly, using a steel wool or emery cloth, lightly clean the tip removing any build up.
How do you know if your thermocouple is bad?
If you can’t get the flame to light at all, and you’re sure the gas is on, there’s probably an obstruction in the pilot tube. If the flame lights and goes out when you release the gas control knob after holding it in for the recommended 20 to 30 seconds, that’s the sign of a thermocouple malfunction.
How much does it cost to replace a thermocouple?
It costs $150 to $250 to replace a thermocouple. It checks to make sure the pilot light is on. It will shut the gas off if it’s not.
Why does my gas wall heater keep going out?
The heater won‘t operate properly if the pilot flickers, is too weak or goes out, and the cause could also be blockages in the pilot tube. Another cause of a weak pilot is a faulty thermocouple. It’s a heat sensor placed next to the pilot flame that signals the gas valve to stay open when the flame is burning.
Why is my heat not turning off?
There are a couple potential reasons why your heating system won’t turn off: Bad thermostat: A faulty thermostat can normally be repaired. Faulty wiring, a broken switch, or broken heating sensor can be fixed depending on how severe the issue is.
Why does my thermocouple keeps burning out?
The contact between these two needs to be very clean to work reliably. To burn out a new thermocouple in 1-2 weeks, the gas to your pilot would have to be set much too high and/or the position of the thermocouple would need to be very wrong, and even then I doubt it would fail so quickly.
Should pilot light always be on water heater?
The pilot light in your hot water heater does more than simply ignite the gas. Without it, the water heater won’t be able to maintain internal temperatures, allowing the water to cool off.
How do you adjust the pilot light on a gas fireplace?
On some fireplaces, there will be a “Lo-Hi” button that allows you to adjust the flame upward or downward. On others, there will be a screw that you can easily adjust with a screwdriver. Turning the screw clockwise will lower the flame, while a counterclockwise motion will turn it up.
Contents