If you suspect your pilot light is out, the first thing you can do is check for a flame. If after turning the knobs on your furnace you still are not getting a solid flame, this is a good signal your pilot light is out. If you smell gas or detect a rotten egg smell, you will need to have your gas shut off entirely.
What causes a pilot light to not light?
Common Reasons Your Furnace Pilot Won’t 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.
What happens if the pilot light is out?
Your Gas Has Been Shut Off
Your pilot light relies on your natural gas to stay aflame, so if your gas is shut off, your pilot light will go out. Simply turn your gas back on and either relight your pilot light yourself or call a professional.
How do you unclog a pilot light?
Use your pliers or wrench to remove the pilot light and thermocouple from the bracket. Using the wire brush, brush away the carbon buildup and soot from both components. For hard to reach areas and stubborn buildup, use the metal file. Wipe away dust with a soft cloth or burst of compressed air.
How much does it cost to replace a thermocouple?
It costs $150 to $250 to replace a thermocouple. It checks to make sure the pilot light is on. It will shut the gas off if it’s not.
Does gas leak 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.
How do I stop the wind from blowing out my pilot light?
A pilot light shield will cover the pilot light to help prevent it from going out. You can buy one at the hardware store and install it yourself to see if that resolves the problem. Will work best if the problem keeps happening due to a draft in the room. Many gas water heaters connect to the chimney for ventilation.
Can I relight the pilot light by myself?
If your pilot light goes out, your furnace will not be able to produce heat because its burners will not ignite. Often, homeowners can relight the pilot themselves.
Can I replace a thermocouple myself?
Thermocouples are designed to detect a pilot light’s loss of heat and close the gas valve to prevent a gas leak. Replacing a thermocouple is a relatively easy fix that can take less than two hours.
How much does it cost to fix a pilot light?
Pilot light replacement or lighting cost
Water heater pilot light replacement costs $50 to $200. The pilot light produces a flame to ignite the gas burner. Plumbers charge $45 to $150 per hour to reignite the pilot light, and the task typically takes 1 hour or less.
How much does it cost to replace a pilot light?
You can replace the thermocouple yourself for around $20. If you hire a contractor to do the work, it will cost $45 to $150. A contractor fixing the thermocouple and the pilot light will usually be able to replace both in one hour, meaning it will be $45 to $150 for both.
How much gas does a pilot light use in a month?
Just how much gas does a pilot light consume? Most pilot lights will consume about 600 BTU’s of gas/hour. With 24 hours in a day, that’s roughly 14,400/BTU’s each day. Figuring 30 days, a pilot light will use approximately 432,000 BTU each month.
Why did the pilot light go out on my water heater?
The most common reason that your pilot light on your water heater keeps going out is a damaged, bent or dirty thermocouple.
