If your furnace’s pilot light has been blown out, leaving you wondering what might have led the flame to have gone out, don’t fret just yet. This is a rather normal issue that can happen every so often. Sometimes, a draft is the source behind an extinguished pilot light. But whatever the reason is, you now have an unlit pilot light. It will now need to be relit to get your heating system back up and running. If you don’t know how to do this, you’ve come to the right place. You can follow the tips below from your Chillicothe Heating & Cooling service experts so that you may know how to relight your furnace’s pilot light.
HOW CAN YOU RELIGHT YOUR FURNACE’S PILOT LIGHT?
Relighting a pilot light can be daunting, but it’s not hard. It’s an easy and simple process. But as always, proceed with caution.
Step One:
First, most heating units have pilot light instructions placed on the side of the unit. These instructions are straight from the manufacturer and assigned for your specific furnace model. However, there are some circumstances where they may be hard to locate based on the furnace’s location or lack of lighting in the surrounding area. While you should look for your unit’s manufacturer instructions first, keep in mind that if you can’t locate or read them, then you should proceed to step number two below.
Furthermore, it’s also important to note that before you kick off the relighting process, you will want to have a long lighter on hand.
Step Two:
Safety is always the top priority to us. Therefore, you should take care to turn off the gas supply to your furnace. Typically, there should be a gas valve located near the pilot area. Keep in mind that you may or may not have to remove the burner cover from your furnace to obtain access to the pilot light and the surrounding area, depending on your furnace model. After you have shut the gas supply off, go ahead and turn off the furnace. Usually, the power switch is located at the base of the unit.
When you have done that, be sure to wait for at least five minutes. Doing this is crucial as it gives the gas an efficient amount of time to dissipate as it should. This step is important not to skip. Otherwise, it could cause a fire hazard, placing you and your home at risk. During your five-minute wait, look for the pilot light assembly. Typically, these switches will say “pilot” on them or will even be labeled with the words “reset,” “on,” or “off.” Just note that wording varies from furnace to furnace.
Step Three:
After the gas has dispersed, it’s now time to turn the “pilot” switch on the pilot light assembly to the on position. Then press and hold down the “reset” button. Now while keeping the reset button pressed, ignite your lighter and slowly bring it close to the pilot light opening. Once you are close enough, the pilot light should ignite. You can let go of the reset button once you see the pilot flame ignite. And there you have it! You have successfully learned how to relight your furnace’s pilot light! At this point, your pilot light should remain lit.
Step Four:
After all is said and done, and you have confirmed your pilot light remains lit with no issues, don’t forget to place the burner cover back on if you had to remove it. Furthermore, you will also need to turn the gas supply back on as well.
Knowing how to relight your furnace is an excellent skill we think every homeowner should know. So, even if you do not need to relight your pilot light right now, you can always keep these tips in your back pocket and save them for a rainy day. A few important things to remember are that if the pilot doesn’t stay lit upon relighting it, you should call a licensed professional like Chillicothe Heating & Cooling to assess the issue further.
Call Chillicothe Heating & Cooling today at (740) 281-2186, or click here to schedule an appointment now!
