An extinguished pilot light is the most common reason for a furnace blowing cool air. So, if you find yourself in this situation and your home is consequently being cooled instead of being warmed, there are a few things you can do to try to remedy it. Sometimes, unwanted drafts are the primary source of why pilot lights go out. Other times, it may be potential component-related issues. If your furnace’s pilot light has gone out, it can be frustrating, not to mention cold. But the good news is that you don’t have to call a professional every time this happens – Five Star Heating & Cooling Dayton has put together an easy-to-follow guide so that you can get your heat back up and running in no time!
WHAT IS THE STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS FOR RELIGHTING A FURNACE’S PILOT LIGHT?
Pilot lights may go out from time to time, but that doesn’t mean relighting them has to be complicated. If you follow these steps from your favorite Five Star service professionals, it will be a breeze.
Part 1: The manufacturer’s instructions are always the best guide to follow when available. They can usually be found on the side of your heating unit. They’re tailored to your specific furnace model. However, we know that some furnaces might be positioned in tight or poorly lit spaces where reading the side of the unit isn’t feasible. If this is the case for you, follow the general steps provided below. In addition, before beginning the entire relighting process, you should know you will need a long-reaching lighter or matchstick in order to reach the pilot light opening.
Part 2:
- If your furnace has a burner cover, take it off. The burner cover is the metal faceplate that covers the opening of your pilot light.
- The furnace’s switch is generally located at the bottom of your furnace. Once you have located the switch, turn off your furnace.
- You also need to turn off the gas supply to your furnace. As always, when dealing with equipment using gas, this is recommended for safety reasons.
- It is crucial to wait five minutes before proceeding to the next steps. This will ensure the safety of your home and family. The gas needs time to dissipate so it doesn’t reignite the pilot light unexpectedly, causing fire or an explosion in the process.
Part 3: The next step is to locate the pilot light assembly. This assembly is made up of a knob-like switch that should have the labels “pilot, reset, or on/off” on it. Just keep in mind that the exact wording may vary depending on your furnace model. Now switch the “pilot” option to on and then press and hold the “reset” button down. Keep holding, and at the same time, bring your ignited lighter near the pilot light’s opening. When you’re close enough, the pilot light will spark and ignite. Let go of the “reset” button when this happens. Fingers crossed that it stays lit! If not, you may have a malfunctioning component on your hands.
Part 4: If you had to remove a burner cover from your furnace, be sure to return it back to its original position. In addition, it’s also crucial to make sure you turn the gas supply back on before wrapping everything up.
Congrats! If your pilot light is still lit, you’ve learned how to relight it. And if that doesn’t deserve a round of applause, we don’t know what does. In our opinion, every homeowner should have this skill filed away in their repertoire. Quite a handy skill if you ask us!
If your pilot light goes out when you release the switch, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. One of our NATE-certified technicians will come to your home as soon as possible and diagnose the issue. Call Five Star Heating & Cooling Dayton at (937) 708-8278, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
