All There Is to Know About Relighting the Gas Furnace

How to Relight the Furnace’s Standing Pilot Light?

It is common for older furnaces to go out, but it’s way more frustrating when you do not know how to relight it. The process is not complicated, but it differs slightly depending on the pilot’s valve type and the furnace model. It’s vital that before attempting to relight the stove you should first consult the instruction manual customarily found inside the furnace door cover.

There are two model types of pilot. One has a valve knob on its body assembly. This knob is either pressed down or depressed when lighting. The other pilot model has a gas valve with a red reset button. These two model types have the same procedure of relighting if the pilot flame goes out. As long as your furnace is the older model and has a standing pilot, here is the standard relighting procedure.

Gather Materials and Tools

To relight the pilot light, you need to first gather the necessary tools. You will require a long-handled match or lighter. If you can’t find the appropriate lighter, you can roll up a sturdy piece of paper or cardboard to use instead.

Read the Instructions Manual From the Manufacturer

Furnaces come with a prominent label with instructions on how to relight the pilot light. This label may not be easily visible because heating units are generally found in dark garages or basements. Take a flashlight to assist you with the instructions. If your furnace does not have the label, look for the manufacturer’s manual that came with the system and read the instructions. Still, if you can’t find the instructions, you can log on to the company’s website for the relevant information.

Turn the Gas Off

Almost at the bottom of the furnace, you will find a switch that has the settings “Pilot,” “On,” and “Off.” Find the switch and turn off the gas by turning it to the “Off” position. Give the gas between three to five minutes to dissipate. This is critical because if the gas does not dissipate it could start a fire. While you wait, take note of where the reset button is located, which is most often found near the switch you turned “Off.”

Find the Nozzle and the Pilot Tube

The nozzle and the pilot tube are located inside the furnace next to the gas burner tube assembly. Please find it and also have your lighter ready. The pilot is sometimes hard to reach, and therefore, it’s advisable to use a long fireplace match as you light it. You can also use a butane barbecue grill lighter. If that is not available, you can also fasten a match to a stick and light the pilot.

Set the Valve to Pilot and Light the Standing Pilot

Set the gas valve to pilot from “Off.” Place the ignited lighter or the lit match on the pilot’s tip, depress, and hold the knob or the reset button. Keep pushing the knob or button for about 30 seconds to maintain the gas flow until the thermocouple is hot enough to trigger the opening of the main gas valve.

Set the Gas Valve Back to “On”

If the pilot stays lit, release the knob or the button slowly and turn the gas knob from the pilot position back to “On.” This will ignite the burners and keep steady the gas flow supply to the burners.

Upon ignition of the furnace burners, regulate the thermostat to the appropriate settings. If the burner does not ignite, the reason could be that the thermocouple did not get heated enough to open the gas valves. Wait for some time and then replicate the same procedure. This time, hold down the reset button for about 60 seconds.

If, after following the procedure for relighting the furnace more than twice and the pilot light won’t stay lit, something is wrong with the furnace, and you need to enlist a professional’s assistance.

A healthy-looking flame should be blue with a tinge of yellow at its tips if the furnace runs on natural gas. If it runs on propane, the flame should be bluish-green also with a yellow touch at the tip.