Knowing how to light up a furnace is an important skill to have, especially for the head of the household. The furnace may not need to get lit up manually daily, but there may come a time that its pilot light might go off, and the only way to stay warm indoors is by relighting the furnace.
It is not uncommon for older furnaces to act up, especially during winter. After all, the coldest time of the year is also the time when furnaces work hard, round the clock. Fortunately relighting the pilot light is something that any homeowner can do. If its not the pilot light then maybe you should look more into why my furnace will not turn on and how to fix it. This article is useful only for lighting a furnace.
How to light the furnace’s pilot light?
Lighting a furnace pilot light is relatively easy, and does not require a special tool, except for a long lighter. Below is a quick and easy-to-follow step-by-step guide to lighting a furnace.
Check the instruction label on lighting the furnace pilot light. Every furnace comes with lighting instructions, and it is best to heed these. However, the labels of the older ones may have faded, or become unreadable over time. For labels that can still be salvaged, it is best to post them in a well-lit area where they can be seen and easily accessed each time the furnace needs to be lit.
Look for the pilot light, its switches, and other components. Upon discovering the location of the Pilot Light Switch, turn the knob to the OFF position. Make sure that it stays in the OFF position for at least five minutes to allow the remaining gas to dissipate in the air. This is a very important safety step as skipping this could lead to home fires. During the five-minute waiting period, check the location of the RESET button as later on, this needs to be pressed for a long time.
If your Ignition Pilostat or Pilot Light goes out then you may need to Light the Furnace. After five minutes of allowing the gas to dissipate, it is now time to light the furnace. Turn the pilot light now to PILOT. Press RESET button for the heater down while bringing the lighter flame close to the pilot light’s opening. Once the pilot light is on, release the RESET button.
Important things to remember when lighting up the furnace
Here are some of the crucial things to remember when trying to light up the furnace:
Do not try to light up the furnace more than twice. If you have followed the instructions to the letter, yet the furnace would not light up or stay lit for a long time, then there may be an internal problem within the furnace. Do not attempt to light it up again and again as this could cause an emergency. Seek professional help by tapping the services of a locally licensed furnace technician.
Never attempt to light up a furnace without switching it off. It is crucial to give the furnace a five-minute OFF time, before trying to light it up. Never skip this step because doing so could cause fires and serious injuries.
Never do a DIY on other furnace issues. Relighting the furnace light is somehow manageable for any homeowner. However, other furnace problems are not. Never self-troubleshoot furnace issues because it involves gas or fuel that is dangerous and combustible.
Make sure to keep a distance from the flame. It is always best to use a long lighter so that there is a safe space between the person and the pilot light. If a long lighter is not available, tightly troll a piece of paper and use it to light up the furnace. You may also be curious to know the why your hvac is not blowing warm air and the other potential causes of that.
Parting shot
Make sure you know how to change your furnace air filter. You can checkout our guide on everything related to hvac furnace air filters here. While furnace lights do not need lighting up regularly, it is still important to know how to safely relight them. Following the instruction in the letter will help homeowners safely light up the pilot lights. In case you are not comfortable with the idea of relighting the pilot light, we at Reliable Standard Heating and Air will be more than happy to help. There is no job that is too small or too complicated for us! While at it, may we offer our furnace maintenance and tune-up services as well, that will ensure a, optimally conditioned home heating system throughout the winter.
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