The home can be left with no heat when the furnace’s pilot light goes out. Though this isn’t a frequent problem, the pilot light going out does occur common enough to touch on it. Today, we at Absolute A/C & Plumbing would like to share why the pilot light may go out and how to relight it.
Pilot Light Troubleshooting
1) Malfunctioning Thermocouple. The thermocouple is very likely the culprit if your pilot light won’t stay lit. The copper rod the pilot flame directly hits is the thermocouple, or sometimes known as flame sensor. The thermocouple is a safety mechanism that shuts the gas off should the pilot go out. All the gas flowing through the furnace could get into your home if the thermocouple fails to shut off the gas. Against a catastrophic buildup of gas is safeguarded from the thermocouple.
2) Furnace Pilot Cavity is Dirty. Inspect the flame if you can manage to get the pilot light lit for just a moment. The pilot light should be strong blue cone, not a weak yellow flame. A weaker flame won’t envelop the thermocouple efficiently. The dirt can fill in the pilot orifice. Disassembling the pilot and clearing out the debris using a needle or compressed air is involved in cleaning out the pilot orifice. Furnace repair experts at Hot Point are just one phone call away to help you out if you’re not eager to start tampering with crucial parts of your furnace system.
3) Bad Gas Regulator Valve. All of the gas appliances in your home, including your furnace, dryer, stove, and so forth are affected by a bad regulator in your natural gas meter outside your home. To keep the pilot lit, your furnace may not be getting enough gas. This may be the culprit if you notice pilot problems in several of your household appliances. Immediately, contact your utility company.
4) Based on Demand by Fluctuating Natural Gas Availability. There be no problems on your end. The gas grid in your area may be nearing its capacity and lower the gas pressure intermittently when natural gas consumption peaks. Your furnace could be enough for the pilot to go out even the slightest hiccup in gas supply. If anyone else has had issues with their natural gas, ask around your neighborhood and find out. Should the problems persist get in touch with your utility company.
5) Strong Draft & Irregular Air Flow. It’s possible it was blown out by a draft if your pilot light re-lights easily after going out overnight. On excessively windy days or nights can make this happen. Air can blow into the area from a leak in the output duct of the furnace. To avoid a vacuum effect in the inlet, keep every intake air register in your home open and clear.
Lighting a Furnace Pilot Light
Below are the basic steps for re-lighting the pilot light of a gas furnace.
1) Find the instructions label on your furnace. To tell you how to light a furnace, every furnace has a label. Occasionally the furnace area may be dark, or the printing may be small. It may be difficult to read the label in these instances. To make the task much more manageable, keep the following instructions near your furnace or in another safe spot where they can be located easily.
2) Locate the pilot light and components. There is a switch that usually says “Pilot,” “On” and “Off” near the bottom of your furnace. Turn it to the “Off” position and wait 5 minutes. This gives some time for the gas to dissipate. This is necessary to avoid the possibility of starting a fire. Take note of the reset button’s location while waiting and near the dial that you just turned to “Off.”
3) Relight the pilot light. Turn the knob to Pilot once the gas dissipates. To bring the flame of a long lighter close to the pilot light opening hold down the “Reset” button.
Forced Air Furnace Maintenance, Repairs, Replacement & More in Santa Fe, Tomball, Sugar Land, Galveston, Austin & Greater Houston, Texas
If you are continuing to have difficulty with the furnace pilot light, call in the professionals of Absolute A/C & Plumbing and let our qualified experts assist you.
