Pilot lights will occasionally go out. Sometimes the cause is easily resolved, such as running out of propane or turning off the gas. However, if the pilot light needs to be relit more than once per season, it should be inspected by a qualified service technician.
Here are some reasons why your pilot light may go out: Airflow issues Your gas has been shut off Your furnace needs a clean Your thermocouple is loose or faulty A temporary gas shortage Don't attempt to light the pilot light if you detect a strong smell of natural gas. Call emergency services and leave the house.
Yes, if the pilot light goes out, it's important to turn off the gas valve. This is a safety precaution to prevent gas from leaking into the home, which could pose a serious hazard.
Pilot lights do go out occasionally. But if your pilot light goes out more than once per season, this could indicate a problem. Some people even shut them off for the summer.
Your boiler pilot light can fail due to damaged components, gas supply issues, and even draughts. The pilot light is a small flame that stays on continually inside the boiler; it acts as the ignition spark for your heating system. Even though you normally don't see this light, you hope it doesn't go out.
Broken Thermocouple: As the pilot flame hits the copper rod directly, the thermocouple is activated. It's sometimes called the “flame sensor.” It shuts the gas off if the pilot goes out. Gas that flows through your furnace could enter your house if the thermocouple fails to turn it off.
Dirty or Damaged Thermocouple Explains Why Pilot Light Keep Going Out. A faulty, misaligned, dirty, or damaged thermocouple is often the culprit behind your pilot light going out. The thermocouple is an automatic safety shutoff device that prevents the gas valve from opening if the pilot light is out.
Safety Considerations for Pilot Light Issues
If you smell gas or notice unusual sounds when your indicator flame goes out, leave your home immediately and contact emergency services. These signs could indicate serious safety concerns that require immediate professional attention.
Call Your Local Mr. Rooter Plumber! If you are having trouble getting your water heater pilot light on, or you can't get it to stay lit for long, rely on a plumbing professional for water heater repair, maintenance, and replacement services.
A fireplace pilot light might consume about 24,000 BTU per day, adding up to about 720,000 BTU a month, or 7.2 therms. If you're paying $1 per therm, then leaving the pilot light on all the time throughout a month might cost you around $7 per month and $84 per year.
An electrical pilot is actually far simpler, as all you'll need to do is either depress the knob or flip a switch, depending on the furnace model. Within the next half-minute, the pilot should resume normal operation. If it doesn't, then you'll want to call a furnace specialist to handle the issue.
The Short Answer Is: It is generally safe for a homeowner to relight a furnace pilot light, as long as they follow proper precautions and guidelines. To do it yourself, first, turn off the furnace's gas supply and wait for a few minutes to allow any lingering gas to dissipate.
Pilot lights can be a source of carbon monoxide because the by-products of combustion are released inside the home rather than vented to the outside. Gas ovens and ranges should be monitored closely and kept in good working order.
Having the pilot light turn off is not automatically cause for panic. If it goes out, follow your manufacturer's instructions and determine whether relighting it is safe. If relighting is not safe, or if your pilot light keeps going out, call for help from a trained technician.
Improper Venting or Air Supply
The air around a pilot light impacts how it functions. Air moving around the flame can disrupt it or blow it out entirely.
So basically your pilot light is responsible for combusting your fuel source, which is how your furnace creates heat. If it goes out, the safety features of your furnace will not allow it to release gas into the burner, meaning that the furnace will not run at all.
Sometimes a pilot light can go out as a result of some source of wind or air simply blowing it out. If this happens, there could be an issue with how your flue pipe is set up or how your system is venting. Free Furnace Promotion: Replace your air conditioner and get a FREE Trane furnace*!
The Cost of Relighting the Pilot Light
A plumber can help reignite the pilot light. They will charge you an hourly fee of $40 to $150. This is usually a fairly brief project, and may just take an hour. You may wish to save yourself a few dollars by relighting the pilot light yourself.
If the pilot light is extinguished, allow at least 5 minutes for accumulated gas to disperse after turning off the gas valve before attempting to relight the pilot. Follow manufacturer's specific instructions for relighting the pilot after the gas has dispersed.
The main reasons why a pilot light won't stay lit include: A dirty pilot light tube. Not enough gas or no gas at all. A faulty thermocouple.
Your pilot light can go out due to excessive wind or if your water heater is in a drafty environment. This can happen if there are air registers or vents close to the water heater or if it's near an open window or door.
Turn the gas valve to the Pilot position. Hold a long-lit lighter or match to the pilot opening while pressing the pilot reset button. Keep the rest button pressed until the flame is lit and burning strongly. Release the reset button and turn the gas valve to the On position.
There's really just one telltale sign of letting you know when the thermocouple isn't working, and that's when the pilot light won't stay lit. If you experience this problem, it's important to have your thermocouple assessed as soon as possible.
A properly working pilot light flame should be a cone-like shape, bright blue in color and yellow at the tip. A lazy orange/yellow flame means the furnace or water heater isn't getting hot enough to heat the thermocouple to the point where it triggers the gas valve to open.
If your gas furnace initiates the start cycle but doesn't fire up, it's likely because of a faulty, damaged, or dirty ignitor/sensor. This is a very common problem — you can try to clean the sensor and replace the ignitor.