Natural Gas Gas Furnace Pilot Light

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.

Natural gas gas furnace pilot light.

Even the slightest hiccup in gas supply to your furnace could be enough for the pilot to go out. 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. Inspecting the pilot light flame.

Most furnaces have instructions attached to them. An operational pilot light in your furnace means safety from the possibility of a gas leak. There is a safety issue as well. It s not a lot usually just a few therms of gas a month but that obviously adds up over time.

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. If the pilot light will not stay lit it needs to be fixed asap to supply heat to your home and for safety reasons there are numerous things that may make the pilot light on your furnace to not stay lit. The gas may be the fuel but the pilot flame is the ignition and one that won t re light on its own. When natural gas consumption peaks the gas grid in your area may be nearing its capacity and lower the gas pressure intermittently.

How to re light a pilot light on a gas furnace. A natural gas flame should be a bright blue with the tip of the flame having just a tinge of yellow. A propane flame should have a bluish green flame with a tinge of yellow at the tip. A modern gas furnace usually has an electronic spark generator to ignite the gas when the thermostat calls for heat.

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. It is highly recommended to turn to your furnace s owner s manual and follow the manufacturer s instructions. A pilot light going out can be inconvenient because it will completely cripple your furnace. Draft believe it or not your pilot light can go out when there is a strong draft around your furnace.

Pilot lights can develop problems that cause them to burn inefficiently. 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. An older gas furnace has a standing pilot that stays on all the time or at least it s supposed to. How can i re light it when it goes out it s a question installers often hear from customers.

There could be nothing wrong on your end. The building was from 1961 and nothing had ever been renovated yes that s why it was cheap. Since the pilot light needs to remain active your furnace is always consuming some gas. These must have been very old gas furnaces water heaters then.