Why Your Furnace Won’t Stay Lit
Back to BlogWhen temperatures drop below freezing, it is important that your furnace operates as it was designed. The warm air that it provides is essential to maintaining a comfortable temperature inside your home. It can be especially annoying when you hear the furnace control activate, but the burner unit does not come on. One of the main reasons why your furnace won’t start is that the pilot light has gone out.
Troubleshooting the Pilot Light
The flame may have been extinguished by a strong breeze. Ensure that the burner unit is shielded from gusts of air that can blow out the flame like the candles on a birthday cake. While too much air is a bad thing, so is no air. The burner does require adequate ventilation for proper and safe operation. Next, verify that the burner unit is receiving gas by inspecting the supply line to ensure that the shutoff valve is in the “Open” position. If you use propane, verify that there is still gas in the tank. Order more if you have run out.
How to Light Your Furnace Pilot Light
Once you have confirmed that the furnace is receiving a steady supply of gas, you will need to relight the pilot. Begin by turning off the gas supply for at least 15 minutes. This will allow any gas that has built up inside the furnace to dissipate. After this time has passed, open the pilot access panel. Locate the small silver tube near a copper thermocouple. Use a wire brush to clean the tube’s orifice and remove any collected debris by spraying it with can of compressed air. Follow the instructions in your furnace user’s manual for relighting the pilot.
If the pilot remains lit, close the access panel. A pilot receiving an adequate supply of gas that will not stay may be indicative of a larger problem. A furnace that will not stay lit could be caused by a malfunctioning pilot or the copper thermocouple. In either case, the component will need to be serviced or replaced by a qualified service technician.
Finding Heating Help in Warner Robins, GA
Your heating system enables you to live comfortably inside your home. Knowing a few troubleshooting steps will help you to determine when to call for professional assistance. If you need assistance relighting the pilot or help of any other kind, contact our office. A member of our friendly staff will be glad to schedule a suitable time for a service technician to come to your home and inspect your furnace.
We are glad to offer our residential customers 24-hour emergency service. We are also familiar with a wide number of makes and models on the market today. We also carry a wide selection of repair parts to the job site in our service vehicles. As a result, our highly trained service personnel can oftentimes diagnose and correct a problem the same day. Call us for all of your heating repair or heating service needs.