An operational pilot light in your furnace means safety from the possibility of a gas leak.
Natural gas gas furnace pilot light.
The pilot light in your gas furnace supplies heat to your home.
The gas may be the fuel but the pilot flame is the ignition and one that won t re light on its own.
A gas furnace s standing pilot in which the flame is lit at all times is sometimes referred to as a pilot light but no matter what you call it its purpose is to serve as a small ignition flame for the gas burner when the thermostat signals for gas to be delivered from the gas valve to the burner it is the standing pilot that ignites the gas flowing to the burners to heat the air in the.
4 fluctuating natural gas availability based on demand.
How to re light a pilot light on a gas furnace.
Even the slightest hiccup in gas supply to your furnace could be enough for the pilot to go out.
Another pilot light drawback is energy waste.
When natural gas consumption peaks the gas grid in your area may be nearing its capacity and lower the gas pressure intermittently.
A modern gas furnace usually has an electronic spark generator to ignite the gas when the thermostat calls for heat.
These must have been very old gas furnaces water heaters then.
A pilot light going out can be inconvenient because it will completely cripple your furnace.
An older gas furnace has a standing pilot that stays on all the time or at least it s supposed to.
A natural gas flame should be a bright blue with the tip of the flame having just a tinge of yellow.
The only gas furnace with a pilot light i have ever seen was in a cheap flat i lived in for a year when i was a student in 2003.
The building was from 1961 and nothing had ever been renovated yes that s why it was cheap.
The pilot light in a furnace that ignites the burners is so much a part of our collective understanding of how gas furnaces work that some homeowners find themselves surprised when they discover their new furnace doesn t need a pilot light.
Pilot lights can develop problems that cause them to burn inefficiently.
There could be nothing wrong on your end.
Since the pilot light needs to remain active your furnace is always consuming some gas.
It is highly recommended to turn to your furnace s owner s manual and follow the manufacturer s instructions.
Most furnaces have instructions attached to them.
How can i re light it when it goes out it s a question installers often hear from customers.
Inspecting the pilot light flame.
Draft believe it or not your pilot light can go out when there is a strong draft around your furnace.
The color of a healthy pilot light flame can vary a bit depending on whether your furnace uses natural gas or propane as a fuel.
There is a safety issue as well.
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.
A propane flame should have a bluish green flame with a tinge of yellow at the tip.
