How To Reset The Pilot Light On A Furnace?

You’re probably here because your pilot light went out, and you’re searching for solutions to relight it. Don’t worry! This usually happens with pilot lights in gas furnaces that are old. Resetting and relighting a pilot light is extremely easy, and one does not need to call in professionals necessarily for this matter. Before resetting the pilot light on a furnace, you need to know what it is and why it went out.

What’s A Pilot Light, And What Does It Do?

A pilot light is a vital part of the furnace and acts as the ignitor for the burners in furnaces. Pilot lights ignite the flame burners in furnaces and are usually found in older furnaces. New furnaces usually come with an electric system and control panel.

Why Did Your Pilot Light Go Out?

There might be several reasons behind your pilot light going out. The problem may be with the weak flame, thermocouple, outside air, or gas regulators –

1. Weak flame

The pilot light is supposed to be a strong blue one. If the flame coming out of the pilot orifice is a weak yellow one, then something is wrong with your pilot orifice. The pilot orifice must be dirty or clogged and is blocking the gas for the flame. You need to clean the orifice to ensure a healthy flow of gas. If you are not confident about cleaning the orifice yourself, then you can call our heating repair in Lawrenceville, GA team of experts for help.

2. Faulty thermocouple/flame sensor

A faulty flame sensor rod/thermocouple might be responsible for your pilot light going out. The flame sensor might be dirty, making it difficult to sense the flame in the burner. This triggers the furnace to shut off the gas valves to prevent further damage. You need to clean the thermocouple to prevent this from happening.

3. Strong draft

If your pilot light goes out even when the furnace is perfectly fine, it must be because of strong wind. Strong wind might creep in through the outlet duct of the furnace, causing the pilot light to go out. You need to open all the intake air ducts of the furnace to ensure that this does not happen.

4. Natural gas regulators

There might be an issue with the natural gas meter outside your house. Your furnace might not be getting enough fueling agent to keep the pilot light on. If you think that this is the case, then you need to contact your gas company immediately.

How Can You Reset The Pilot Light on A Furnace?

To reset the pilot light on a furnace, you can look for instructions in the user manual. If that doesn’t help, you can try out the steps given below –

1. Find the pilot light knob on the bottom of the furnace. It has the settings on, off, and pilot.
2. Turn off the knob and then wait for a few minutes to let the gas from the gas valves dissipate.
3. Now, switch the knob to the pilot setting and hold a lit match before the pilot flame opening. Keep the pilot button held down until the pilot flame burns brightly.
4. Check the pilot flame now. If it does not keep burning brightly, there might be an issue with the orifice, and you might need to clean it.

If the problem goes on, then it’s time to call in professionals. You can look up ‘furnace repair in Lawrenceville, GA ’ on the internet and call us on the number provided. For more information, visit our website now.