Homeowners will want to maintain a furnace protocol in the event of a power outage. For example, do you have to relight furnace after power outage? Yes, if your pilot light goes out, you will want to shut off the gas line and wait for power.
A System Reset Is Necessary
A furnace not working after a power outage may need a reset, and most modern furnaces have a yellow or red reset button. You'll need to reset your furnace's breaker first. Next, homeowners with gas furnaces should turn off the pilot light and allow the gas to disperse.
During a power outage the furnace electronics cannot function. The fans also cannot function. The furnace will not start or run.
Regardless of the specific damage, there's a good chance a sudden winter power outage may cause some part of your furnace to malfunction. When you need a furnace repair or furnace maintenance in the Steger, Illinois or Crown Point, Indiana areas, Merts Heating & Air Conditioning has you covered.
Any time the gas goes off our guys have to do a relight. If it does move that means either you have a leak or you forgot one of your appliances runs on gas (it happens a lot) the service tech will then have to do a leak investigation . If no gas leaks by he is good to relight and will relight your appliances.
For example, do you have to relight furnace after power outage? Yes, if your pilot light goes out, you will want to shut off the gas line and wait for power. Let's take a look below at some steps you can take to stay safe if your furnace loses power.
Electric Bonding or Grounding
NOTE: Once you have shut off the natural gas at the meter, do not try to turn it back on yourself.
Sometimes, power outages can change your thermostat's settings and switch the furnace from AUTO to ON. The ON setting forces the furnace to run continuously, causing the fan to produce cold air once it finishes a heating cycle.
In most newer systems, the button is often directly next to the blower motor, while in older systems, it may be harder to spot as it is sometimes underneath or behind the motor. The reset button is often made of yellow or red plastic and marked with a large “R ” to make it easier to spot.
Ultimately, there are very few situations where shutting off your system will lead to lower utility bills or savings. That's because adversities and potential damage usually arise when you power off your furnace. During winter, it's especially risky to keep your furnace off for any period.
If the utility power goes out, flip the double-pole switch to disconnect the permanent furnace circuit, and the run a cord from the portable generator to the inlet. The double-pole, double-throw switch prevents the portable generator from back-feeding the entire house or, worse, the utility's system.
When resetting your furnace, make sure to press the button only once to avoid engaging the safety lock. Reach out to professionals. In most cases, the safest course of action is to contact your go-to HVAC company if your furnace doesn't work after a power outage.
Short-term power failures
Check your main fuses or circuit breakers to see if they have blown or tripped. Replacing a fuse or resetting a circuit breaker may restore your electricity.
All you need to do is go over to your furnace and locate a reset button. It's typically red or yellow. If it's been tripped during an outage it will probably be raised. Make sure that you press this button down to make sure that the furnace is ready to run again.
Gas Furnace - The emergency switch is typically a red switch located on or near the furnace unit. It may be mounted on the side of the furnace or on a nearby wall. Heat Pump - The emergency switch for a heat pump is typically a red switch located near the outdoor unit. It may be on the unit itself or on a nearby wall.
Do Gas Furnaces Need Electricity? Like most modern appliances, your gas furnace does use some amount of electricity to operate. Unfortunately, this means that your gas furnace will not work during a power outage.
A power surge can have an effect anything that uses electricity. And, when it comes to big ticket items like an air conditioner, circuit board or furnace, it can end up costing you a lot of money.
If you have a traditional gas meter
To switch your power back on, insert your payment card into the meter. You'll be asked to press and release button “A”. This will turn the gas back on.
Your main shut off valve is located just before the gas meter. This is called your “street side valve”.