What makes a pilot light go out on a furnace?
Your pilot light might be going out on your furnace because:
- Your furnace’s thermocouple is dirty.
- There is incorrect air flow to your furnace.
- There is an issue with the gas connection.
How do I find the pilot light on my furnace?
Find your pilot light if you have one to make sure that it is lit. Find your pilot light by looking for a metal tube running from your gas valve to the bottom of your furnace. Bend or lay down and inspect the end of the tube to see if there is a small flame coming out of it.
Does my gas furnace have a pilot light?
Your furnace, being a modern-day unit, does not use a pilot for ignition. Instead, what you have is most likely what's called a direct spark ignition (DSI) system that has the furnace board trigger a spark at the appropriate time to light the gas -- it indeed is a computer control system! Click to read in-depth answer.
What causes pilot light to go out on furnace?
What Causes A Pilot Light To Go Out?
- There could be a Draft. If your pilot light seems to go out overnight fairly often, and lately, it’s been very windy, you might have a draft issue.
- Dirt in the Pilot Orifice. Try lighting your pilot and once it ignites, take a look at the color of the flame. ...
- Gas Regulator could need Replacing. ...
- The Thermocouple is having Issues. ...
How do I light the pilot on my electric furnace?
Turn the switch off, and wait at least five minutes to allow any remaining gas to dissipate. Next, turn the switch to “pilot,” and hold down the reset button. Use a long lighter to light the furnace pilot light. Once it's got a flame, which can take about 30 seconds, you can release the reset button.
Can you manually light an electric furnace?
If your furnace is equipped with an electronic igniter, you cannot light the furnace manually. However, you may be able to get the furnace working by turning off the igniter and resetting it. Find the paperwork for your particular furnace to locate the reset button or switch.
Do some furnaces not have pilot lights?
Most newer gas furnace models don't have the traditional pilot light that burns continuously. These systems come with an electric ignition system that includes either an intermittent pilot light or one lit via a hot surface ignitor instead of a pilot light.
What is an electric pilot light?
The term "pilot light" is also used occasionally for an electrical indicator light that illuminates to show that electrical power is available, or that an electrical device is operating. Such indicators were originally incandescent lamps or neon lamps, but now are usually LEDs.
Do electric furnaces have a flame?
“The flame's main job is to heat the coils inside the furnace in order to warm the air. There is only an open flame in a gas furnace, electric furnaces do not have one.”
Where is reset button on electric furnace?
Locate the reset button on the furnace and press it to reset the furnace. It is usually located inside the blower compartment on the side of the blower motor. Be cautious as the housing may be hot. If the button is popped up, press it down.
Why is my electric furnace not blowing hot?
Troubleshooting Furnaces Not Blowing Hot Air Check batteries of your thermostat and replace the drained or faulty one. Check the fan settings on your thermostat if they are set to “auto” instead of “on”. Make sure someone else has not set your thermostat to a lower temperature.
Do electric furnaces use gas?
Electric furnaces last longer On the plus column for electric furnaces is their longevity. Because furnaces do not use combustion gas or vent exhaust, they will not suffer from the same aging as a gas furnace, and consequently will last for more years (provided they have regular maintenance).
Why is my electric furnace blowing cold air?
Your furnace may be blowing cold air because the filter is too dirty. A dirty air filter blocks airflow over the furnace's heat exchanger, causing it to overheat. When overheating, your furnace can trip a high limit switch, causing the furnace burners to shut off so that the heat exchanger does not crack.
Do modern furnaces have pilot lights?
Newer gas furnaces (since about 2010) do not have a traditional pilot light that burns all the time. Instead they use electronic ignition systems that light only as needed. Constant flame or “standing pilot” heating systems are still fairly common in older homes, and they can still be repaired in most cases.
How do I know if my furnace has a pilot light?
How to Tell If the Pilot Light Is OutLocate the front cover panel on your furnace. It should be a little door that's easily visible. ... If your pilot light is on, it should be easy to see – your eyes will be drawn to the little flame.If you don't see a flame, your pilot light is out.If there is a flame, check the color.
Where is my furnace pilot light located?
Near the bottom of your furnace is a switch that normally says "Pilot," "On" and "Off." Find this switch and turn it to the "Off" position. Wait at least five minutes. This is important because it gives the gas time to dissipate, which is necessary to avoid possibly starting a fire.
Do Gas Furnaces Have Pilot Lights? (And Which Ones?)
Pilot lights were primarily invented to start gas furnaces. These run on either natural gas or propane; both of these substances can be fired up with a pilot light.
Do Electric Furnaces Have Pilot Lights? (And Which Ones?)
Electric furnaces have pilot lights, the same as gas furnaces. Do all electric furnaces have pilot lights? Of course not. The trend of replacing pilot lights with electronic ignition systems in electric furnaces was similar to the one happening in gas furnaces.
Why does the pilot light come on?
Instead, the pilot light only comes on when it needs to ignite the burner. When the thermostat signals the need for heat, an electric system creates a spark that causes the pilot to come on, and then the pilot activates the burners. When the burners shut off at the end of the heating cycle, the pilot also goes out.
What type of igniter is used in a furnace?
There are two basic types of electronic igniters in modern furnaces: hot surface igniters and intermittent pilots. Intermittent pilots still use a pilot light, however it isn’t a “standing” pilot light that remains on all the time to ignite the burner whenever the gas turns on. Instead, the pilot light only comes on when it needs to ignite ...
Do furnaces use electronic ignition?
It’s a question installers often hear from customers. The answer is that furnaces now use electronic ignition systems that make the “standing” pilot unnecessary. This makes furnaces more reliable, safe, and best of all, energy-efficient.
Do gas furnaces need a 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.
The Standing Pilot Ignition System
The standing pilot is the traditional ignition method for gas furnaces, and it's still common on other gas appliances, such as water heaters, stoves and room heaters. A furnace with a standing pilot has a control knob, usually red, with three settings: "off," "on" and "pilot," and the pilot setting is midway between the other two.
Two Types of Electronic Ignition Systems
The intermittent spark igniter was the first type introduced to allow a standing pilot to be ignited without a match, and it was common in furnaces manufactured in the 1980s.
Troubleshooting a Gas Furnace Ignition System
If you have an older furnace with a standing pilot and the pilot keeps going out, it may be a sign that it's time to replace the air filters because the pilot may not be getting enough air. If the pilot goes out immediately after you light it, it may be time to replace the thermocouple, clean the pilot tube or both.
The purpose of the pilot light
The pilot light (a.k.a. a standing pilot light) is a flame inside a furnace that stays lit to ignite the burners when gas starts to flow from them. This eliminates the need for someone to manually light the burners using a match, which is both inconvenient and unsafe.
The pilot light is going extinct
Your house may have a furnace with a standing pilot light. If so, it’s probably the last furnace you’ll have that’s like this. Pilot lights are becoming less and less common in gas-burning appliances such as furnaces, boilers, water heaters, and ovens. Pilot lights did their job but they have several drawbacks.
The electronic ignition furnace
You may already have one of these, and if you don’t, we recommend considering replacing your current furnace with its pilot light for one of these newer models.