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How to Relight a Pilot Light Turn off your appliance at the power switch or thermostat. Find the gas valve control knob and turn it to select “pilot.” If pilot light controls are sticky, do not apply force or use oil. Press the red button while simultaneously holding a match to the pilot burner.
Do I need to turn gas off if pilot light goes out?
If the pilot light goes out on a storage or instantaneous hot water heater, space heater or a ducted heater, you will not have a gas leak. This is because all modern gas appliances with pilot lights have a fail-safe device that closes off the gas to the appliance in the case when the pilot may go out.
What happens if pilot light goes out?
Can a Pilot Light Outage Be Dangerous? The worry here is that when a pilot goes out, the gas valve that supplies the fuel for the pilot flame could still be pumping gas. This can mean a buildup of gas, and when the pilot is relit or relights itself it could result in a very serious explosion.
How do I get my pilot light back on?
Turn the valve to the “pilot” position. Press and hold the reset button. If the reset button fails, ignite the lighter. Hold down the reset button and bring a grill lighter or long match to the pilot light valve until the pilot ignites.
What do I do if my pilot light won’t light?
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.
Will the gas company light My pilot?
Most of today’s gas appliances have electric starters, rather than pilot lights. One caveat, however: If you detect the strong smell of natural gas, do not attempt to light the pilot. Instead, leave the house and call your local gas company or 911.
Can a pilot light relight itself?
Relighting a pilot light may be possible, depending on the type you have. By design, an automatic pilot light does not need to be lighted or relighted; it turns on and off by itself. If an automatic pilot or igniter is failing to light the burners on your appliance, it typically needs to be replaced.
Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from a pilot light?
A pilot light should be a crisp blue colour. 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.
Can I turn off my pilot light?
Turn off the light. Often, turning off the pilot light is as simple as turning a knob to “off.” For other systems, you may have to push a small lever out of the way in order to turn the knob. Whatever you do, don’t force the knob. This could result in costly repairs.
How do you know if the pilot light is out?
How to Tell If the Pilot Light Is Out Locate the front cover panel on your furnace. It should be a little door that’s easily visible. If your pilot light is on, it should be easy to see – your eyes will be drawn to the little flame. If you don’t see a flame, your pilot light is out. If there is a flame, check the color.
How do you know if you have a bad thermocouple?
If you can’t get the flame to light at all, and you’re sure the gas is on, there’s probably an obstruction in the pilot tube. If the flame lights and goes out when you release the gas control knob after holding it in for the recommended 20 to 30 seconds, that’s the sign of a thermocouple malfunction.
Should the pilot light always be on in a gas furnace?
If you have an older gas furnace, your heating unit relies on a little blue flame known as a pilot light to ensure ignition of the burners. Since the pilot light needs to remain active, your furnace is always consuming some gas.
Is the pilot light on a stove always supposed to be on?
Should the pilot light always be on in a gas stove? Yes, the design of gas stoves means that the pilot light will always be on. Some people dislike the fact that there is always an open flame burning within their gas stove, however, this is very important for the gas stove to be able to automatically ignite.
How much does it cost to fix a thermocouple?
The thermocouple is an apparatus that senses whether the pilot light is lit and triggers the gas control valve. Repairs typically cost about $150 to have it done professionally, though a new thermocouple itself only costs about $20 on average.
What causes a pilot light to not light?
There are several possible reasons why your gas furnace pilot won’t light: an ongoing draft, a faulty thermocouple, an accumulation of dirt, or an inefficient supply.
Can I turn my gas back on myself?
Once the valve is turned off, do not turn it back on by yourself. It must be turned on by a gas company technician. The gas company will likely perform a pressure test on the system and relight all pilot lights in the house as part of turning the gas back on.
Can you smell a pilot light?
Note that it is totally normal on automatic pilots (pilots that do NOT stay lit all the time) to smell a little natural gas when the are first turned on. A little gas will escape as the pilot and burners light on your heat or appliance.
Can a pilot light cause a fire?
When the appliance is turned on, a valve releases more gas, which is ignited by the pilot light. If this leak continues, its concentration may reach a point where a spark – such as that from a cigarette lighter, static electricity, or even the pilot light itself as it is re-lit – will cause a fire or even an explosion.
Is my pilot light too high?
If the flame is blue and weak, and barely reaches the thermocouple, it needs to be stronger. If it extends well above the thermocouple, it’s too strong. If the flame covers the top of the thermocouple and burns steadily with a yellow tip, that’s just about right.
