Your furnace has a big job of keeping your entire home warm throughout the coldest days of the year. The pilot light ensures that the burners are activated so the furnace can efficiently heat your home.
Sometimes, your furnace’s pilot light may suddenly go out. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but you will want to relight it if that happens. Of course, it’s important to be safe while doing that. Here are a few steps you can use to safely relight the pilot light in your furnace.
Find the Pilot Light’s Reset Switch
You can normally find the pilot light near the bottom of the furnace. There should be a knob that consists of three different settings: pilot, on, and off. However, if you’re unable to easily locate the reset switch, you should check the manual that came with your furnace to find it. You can also check online at the manufacturer’s website if you can’t find the manual.
Set the Switch to Off
Choose “off” on the reset switch. It should be easy to adjust the knob. Your furnace will temporarily shut off.
Wait for a Minute
Take a moment to wait between the time you turn off the pilot light before relighting it. It gives the gas a chance to pass and prevents too much from igniting once you relight the furnace’s pilot light. Give yourself a full minute to two minutes to wait.
Relight the Pilot Light
Next, you can select the “pilot” option on the furnace’s reset switch to allow the gas to run again. Use a lit match or a lighter, press the reset button, and position the flame to the opening of the pilot light. Keep your finger on the reset button until you notice the pilot light is lit and burning. Then, you are free to release it.
Look at the Furnace
After the pilot light has been relit and the reset button has been released, you should stand by and watch the furnace. It should now work again and should stay relit. You may want to check the areas around the furnace to see if there are any air leaks that might be to blame for the pilot light burning out in the first place.
Contact the Heating Professionals
If you need maintenance performed on your furnace or have any other concerns, it’s important to have a professional handle it. Contact the heating professionals at Anderson Heating & Cooling at your earliest convenience to schedule an appointment for your Oregon City home. We can also help with your cooling, indoor air quality, water heater, and many other services.
