Relight the pilot light. Turn the knob to “Pilot,” and let gas to flow to the pilot. Light a lighter or match, then push in the reset button. Hold your flame to the pilot light's opening. Keep the reset switch depressed until the pilot light is burning steadily.
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.
All furnaces made within the last 20 years or so are typically equipped with a failsafe electrical shut-off valve. This valve operates automatically and shuts off gas flow as soon as the pilot goes out, preventing any risks of excessive gas buildup.
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.
A: Yes, turning off the pilot light when the fireplace isn't in use, such as during the warmer months, can help save energy and reduce your gas bill.
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.
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.
If after following the proper steps you still can't get your pilot light to stay lit, call an HVAC pro for a furnace repair.
If the pilot should go out, gas is immediately shut off to the main burner, however, there is still a small amount of gas that will continue to flow to the oven pilot. All free standing pilots are approved by the American Gas Association. There is not enough leakage to create a hazard.
Pilot Light Won't Stay Lit
The issue could be: A dirty tube: If the pilot light tube is dirty, it can put out the light over time. You'll need to clean it with something abrasive to get it working again. Not enough gas: Sometimes, the gas valve will leak, or something else prevents gas from getting through the line.
First, check the gas valve to see if it's in the “on” position. It's possible that someone bumped it and turned it off without realizing it. If the gas valve is in the “off” position, turn it to the “on” position and wait a few minutes to see if the pilot light ignites.
Replacing a thermocouple is a relatively easy fix that can take less than two hours. This guide reviews how to replace a thermocouple to ensure gas appliances stay in good working order, as well as how to relight a pilot light.
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.
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.
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.
A pilot light may need to be re-lit from time to time after being extinguished on purpose or by accident. If it is accidentally extinguished, there exists a danger that the gas used to keep the flame lit will continue to vent, possibly into the living space.
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.
Follow the steps below to check your pilot light: IMPORTANT: If you perceive an overwhelming smell of natural gas, do not go any further. Leave your home and call your utility company's emergency line to have your gas shut off. Then call a professional HVAC company to investigate.
If your pilot light goes out, your furnace will not be able to produce heat because its burners will not ignite.
Gas Valve & Gas Supply Issues
The pilot light depends on a reliable source of gas or propane in order to stay lit. Any issues with the gas valve that supplies that gas to the flame, whether it be dirty or malfunctioning, can result in that flame going out.
If you don't see a spark when you press the igniter button or you can't get the pilot to light, you can try to manually light it with a match or stick lighter. Once you see the pilot flame, you will need to continue to hold the control knob in for around 30 seconds.
This is the reason experts instruct homeowners to turn the gas off and let water heaters sit for at least 10 minutes before attempting to relight an extinguished pilot light. Those two steps — shutting off the gas and waiting — allow built-up gas to safely disperse, reducing the risk of an accident.
Most water heaters have an electric igniter button near the gas knob. Pressing this button releases a spark that is used to ignite the pilot light. If your unit does not have an igniter button or if the igniter doesn't spark, you will need a match or stick lighter to ignite the pilot.