Is your furnace currently blowing cool air? Ughh! That’s never ideal! If you’re anything like us, we prefer the cold to be kept outside – where it belongs. Fortunately, you’ve landed in just the right place if your furnace is, in fact, blowing cool air. It most likely means that your pilot light has blown out. But don’t be alarmed; it’s not all that uncommon for a pilot light to randomly go out. However, it does happen from time to time.
So, if instead of warm air, cool air has been blowing from your HVAC system, a snuffed pilot light flame is generally the problem behind it. The pilot light in your furnace is what starts the air heating process. A cool thing to note is that although pilot lights were once standard for most gas furnaces, more recent models don’t require them. But without further ado, please, continue reading these tips from Mount Washington Heating & Cooling.
WHAT IS THE STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS TO RELIGHTING MY PILOT LIGHT?
- CHECK THE SIDE OF YOUR FURNACE FOR INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE MANUFACTURER – You should find instructions for your furnace on the side of the heating unit. However, if you can’t read them or if they’re in a difficult-to-reach place, follow the steps below for general guidance.
- MAKE SURE TO HAVE A LONG LIGHTER OR MATCHSTICK ON HAND – Before you start, confirm that the lighter in your hand can reach the pilot light; this will ensure your safety as well as the safety of your home and family. It’s key to keep your hands away from open flames whenever possible.
- SHUT OFF THE GAS SUPPLY – This is recommended for safety reasons.
- TAKE OFF THE BURNER COVER – The burner cover is the metal faceplate that covers and protects the pilot light opening. You’ll need to remove this in order to view and access the pilot light properly. (Note: Some furnaces do not have a burner cover.)
- TURN THE FURNACE OFF – Next, turn your furnace off completely. You can do this by flipping the switch to “off.” Usually, this button is located at the base of the unit.
- WAIT FOR AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES – It is crucial that you wait at least five minutes after turning the gas supply off before proceeding to the next step. This gives the gas from your furnace time to dissipate and avoids any safety hazards or damage to your home.
- LOCATE THE PILOT LIGHT ASSEMBLY – Now, find the pilot light assembly. It’s usually a little knob that you turn. The words “pilot,” “on,” and “off” should be printed on it. Wording may vary based off of your furnace model. If you can’t find it for your particular model, try looking in your furnace’s manual or searching for your exact model online.
- RELIGHT THE PILOT LIGHT – Turn the knob to “pilot” after five minutes have passed. This will send the gas back to where the pilot light is, preparing it to be relit again. Now press and hold down on the “reset” button while bringing an ignited lighter close to the burner. Once you’re close enough, the flame should ignite, and then you can release the “reset” button. If everything goes according to plan, your newly lit pilot light should now be steadily burning.
- BE PATIENT – After you relight the pilot light and release the “pilot” button, wait for your furnace to warm up again. You should feel warm air coming from your system’s vents over the next few minutes.
- TURN THE GAS SUPPLY ON – Don’t forget to turn the gas supply back on.
- RETURN THE BURNER COVER – Remember to put the burner cover back on too!
Well done- you’ve now learned how to relight your pilot light by yourself! If, for any reason, the pilot light won’t stay lit after reigniting it and releasing the “reset” button, there could be a system issue at hand. In this case, please feel free to reach out to Mount Washington Heating & Cooling so one of our NATE-certified technicians can take a look and get your issue resolved.
At Mount Washington Heating & Cooling, whatever your HVAC need may be, we got your back. Feel free to contact us at ((513) 655-5115 or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
