Furnace Pilot Light Out

Once the gas has had time to dissipate turn the knob to pilot then hold down the reset button and bring the flame of a long lighter close to the pilot light opening.

Furnace pilot light out.

If the thermocouple fails to shut off the gas all the gas flowing through the furnace could get into your home. Many new devices use electric ignitions in place of pilot lights. A modern gas furnace usually has an electronic spark generator to ignite the gas when the thermostat calls for heat. A heating system that is that old is likely to have many parts and components that have become dirty worn and inefficient through the years.

Normally your pilot light should be burning bright blue. The thermocouple is the copper rod the pilot flame directly hits. From time to time this tip can become clogged with debris that blocks. This can happen for several different reasons including.

Sometimes it s referred to as the flame sensor it s a safety mechanism that shuts the gas off should the pilot go out. Any combination of these parts failing can lead to a pilot light going out. This should expose the pilot which simply looks like a small single burner kind of like a candle or if you only had a single flame lit on a gas stove. The tip of the pilot light where the gas comes out and ignites is a haven for collecting soot grime and grit over the years.

If you have a newer appliance don t panic if you don t see a pilot light. Remove the front cover panel on your furnace or boiler. If your gas or propane furnace has a standing pilot light there s a good chance that it is 20 years old. Which means the thermocouple will shut off the gas flow to your furnace as a safety measure.

If it begins to burn a different. The pilot light needs a strong flow of gas to make a strong steady blue flame that the thermocouple can sense. Making certain the pilot light is operating is the first check to be made when the gas furnace or water heater is not providing normal service. Once you are sure the pilot light is on release your pressure on the reset button.

This should light the furnace pilot light. An older gas furnace has a standing pilot that stays on all the time or at least it s supposed to. But if the orifice is dirty or restricted the pilot light won t light properly. A number of things can make an old furnace pilot light go out including a strong draft a faulty thermocouple or a loss of gas.

This flame is used to restart the main burner and prevent gas leaks. Often times pilot lights go out because of something that goes wrong with the.