Should the pilot light always be on in a gas heater?

Author: Kristofer Wiegand  |  Last update: Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Should The Pilot Light Always Be On In A Gas Furnace? Yes, if the furnace is in operation, the pilot light will need to be on for it to be functional. However, some homeowners turn off their furnace's pilot light in the warmer seasons when the gas furnaces aren't in use.

Is the pilot light supposed to stay on?

Is it safe to leave the pilot light on all the time? Generally speaking, it is safe to leave your continuous pilot light on at all times, assuming it stays lit (more on this in a moment). While it does cost more to keep your pilot light on in between uses, it can actually have some benefits to your system.

What happens if you leave pilot light on?

If you leave the pilot light on for long periods without turning on the main burner, a white film can develop on the glass. This is a sulfur byproduct of the burning pilot, and if left uncleaned, it can etch the glass.

Is it OK to turn off pilot light?

A little heat is produced when your pilot light is on so turning it off in summer can help reduce the heat inside your home. The less heat there is, the less you have to use your air conditioner needs to cool down the house. You can get savings and conserve energy if you turn off your pilot light.

Should I turn off heater pilot light?

As the weather warms up, it is time to put your gas fireplaces and furnaces to rest for the summer. Since it will be several months before you need to fire up the heat again, it is worth considering turning off your system's pilot light.

Should the pilot light always be on in a gas fireplace?

Should you turn off the pilot light on a gas furnace?

Most modern mid to high efficiency gas furnaces no longer have a pilot light. It's been replaced by an electronic ignition. As a result, the furnace will not need to continuously burn gas in order to keep a pilot light going, making it unnecessary to turn off your furnace for the summer.

Is it safe to light the pilot light on a furnace?

Never try to light a pilot light without turning the furnace off. This can lead to serious bodily harm or home damage. It is crucial to wait at least five minutes after turning the furnace off before attempting to light the pilot light.

Does the pilot light use a lot of gas?

Just how much gas does a pilot light consume? Most pilot lights will consume about 600 BTU's of gas/hour. With 24 hours in a day, that's roughly 14,400/BTU's each day. Figuring 30 days, a pilot light will use approximately 432,000 BTU each month.

Does the pilot light always stay on in a gas fireplace?

Should The Pilot Light Always Be On In A Gas Fireplace? For standing pilot gas fireplaces, the pilot light should typically always remain on when the gas fireplace will be used for a period of time.

Why does the pilot light on my gas logs keep going out?

The Fix: Pilot Light to Gas Fireplace Won't Stay Lit

This can be an indication that your fireplace thermocouple is either bad or worn out. However, if your pilot is lit but the gas fireplace isn't, then there's probably a problem with your thermopile.

Can a pilot light cause carbon monoxide?

A yellow or orange pilot light will produce carbon monoxide – an odourless, colourless gas that can fill your home and cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms of this condition include dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, unconsciousness, brain damage and death.

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.

What should a pilot light look like on a gas fireplace?

A healthy pilot flame will be much like a blue “blow torch” flame. It will shoot sideways and be directly on your thermocouple and thermopile sensors. An unhealthy yellow pilot flame is more like a “candle”. It will shoot straight up in the air and will not engulf your sensors.

Is there always a flame on a gas fireplace?

Do Gas Fireplaces Always Have A Flame? Gas fireplaces that use a standing pilot ignition system will have a pilot flame that's always on. Gas fireplaces that use an intermittent pilot ignition system won't have and/or require a flame that's always on as the pilot can be switched on and off as required.

Is my pilot light too high?

A proper pilot flame should be blue with a yellow tip and should be strong enough to cover about 1/2 inch at the end of the thermocouple tip. If the flame is too strong and improperly adjusted, it will be blue but may be noisy and lift off the thermocouple, causing improper furnace operation.

How much gas does a pilot light use per hour?

Natural Gas Expenditure (Up To Over 5,000 Cubic Feet Per Year) That means that running a standard pilot light non-stop will consume: 0.579 cubic feet of natural gas per hour.

Is it safe to turn on pilot?

Safety First

You should always proceed with care when relighting a pilot light, since the gas used to power your hot water heater is flammable and potentially dangerous. If at any time you smell gas, you should shut off the gas valve right away, open windows, and avoid turning on any lights.

Why is my pilot light not staying lit on my furnace?

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.

When should you turn your heat off?

Start by shutting off your heating system when temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. While that temperature might seem cold, it can take days for your whole home to cool down to that temperature. So you can turn the heat off and see how you feel.

When should you turn your heating off?

' is a question many of us will be asking as the weather is starting to warm up. Well if you want to follow the crowd you should have flipped your heating switch off yesterday. Experts from Utility Bidder say that the most popular date for turning off central heating for the warm season is the 14th March.

Is it bad to turn your furnace on and off?

If it's a natural gas furnace that uses a standing pilot light to ignite the burners, then we recommend you shut it all the way off by turning off the gas to it. If you don't do this, the pilot light will continue to burn throughout the summer, which is a waste of gas.

What color should the pilot in a gas fireplace be?

The color of the pilot light should be blue because that means that only natural gas—without any other condensates—is reaching the pilot light through the gas main. The principal chemical compound found in natural gas is methane, and methane burns blue.

What color should a gas pilot light be?

Inspecting a Gas Furnace Pilot Light Flame

A natural gas flame should be a bright blue color with a small amount of yellow at the very tip. A propane flame will have more of a bluish-green flame with a tinge of yellow at the tip. The flame should strong enough to cover about 1/2 inch at the end of the thermocouple tip.

How do you adjust the pilot light on a gas heater?

How to Adjust the Pilot Light Flame on a Gas Furnace
  1. Turn that screw counter-clockwise, and the flame should grow. Do this if you believe your flame is too low.
  2. Rotate the screw on the pilot light clockwise, and the size of the flame will decrease. ...
  3. Return the access place to the front of your gas furnace.

Do gas fireplaces burn a lot of gas?

Along with overall energy efficiency, it is important to consider exactly how much a gas fireplace burns per hour. Based on the currently available models, gas log sets burn anywhere from 60,000 – 90,000 BTUs of gas per hour. On the other hand, the more efficient gas fireplaces use 10,000 – 70,000 BTUs/hour.

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