If the pilot light goes out on a storage or instantaneous hot water heater, space heater or a ducted heater, you will not have a gas leak. This is because all modern
If the safety devices are working properly, it is not dangerous if the pilot light goes out except for the damage which could occur by the failure of the furnace to heat the house.
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.
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.
Pilot lights have a temperature sensor (thermocouple) that turns off the gas if the flame goes out, so you will not be leaking gas. They also have an off position, as shown above. In this position the pilot flame is turned off and no gas, pilot or otherwise is allowed to the appliance.
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.
Note that it is totally normal on automatic pilots (pilots that do NOT stay lit all the time) to smell a little natural gas when they are first turned on. A little gas will escape as the pilot and burners light on your heat or appliance.
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.
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.
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.
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.
In the end, keeping the gas fireplace pilot light on or off is a personal preference. The decision boils down to residual heat, gas usage, and the possibility of nesting spiders. Generally, we recommend turning off the gas pilot light during the summer months.
You should not try to relight the pilot light yourself if you smell gas, hear hissing sounds from your gas line, or otherwise think that you might have a gas leak in your home. If you try to reignite the pilot while gas is in the air, it could start a fire or cause an explosion.
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.
It shouldn't be able to re-light itself. It should have a bi-metal strip which prevents gas being delivered unless the pilot has heated the strip to sustain it on. If the pilot goes out regularly then the pilot flame is either being blown out or the bi-metal strip is faulty.
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.
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.
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*!
If the pilot light goes out, the gas will stop flowing and your unit will shut off. When heating is required, the gas control valve releases the gas into the main burner where the pilot light ignites the gas. Apart from lighting the main burner, the pilot light also provides warmth to the thermocouple.
Absolutely! We can send a gas service technician to light your pilot, and conduct a gas safety check of your gas fireplace or any other gas appliance to ensure your safety. You can schedule an appointment by logging into Your Account and selecting the Service Requests tab.
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. But if the pilot flame goes out, then the gas would still be released. After a while, the gas could collect in your home and become a health hazard.
Phantosmia is a condition that causes you to detect smells that aren't actually in your environment. It can happen in one nostril or both — and the odors may be foul or pleasant. Common causes include colds, allergies, nasal polyps and dental issues. Treatment depends on the underlying cause.
You should hear it click.
Once the pilot is lit, continue holding down the regulator knob for 90 seconds to clear the air out of the gas line and warm up the heat sensor. Slowly release the regulator knob while monitoring the pilot light to ensure that it doesn't go out.