How To Relight Your Furnace In A Safe Manner

Pilot lights can flicker out when a draft blows through. Sometimes, the cause is dirt buildup on the equipment. In most cases, you can safely relight the pilot light on a gas furnace. Read your owner’s manual for complete details about your specific model.

Locate the Pilot Assembly

The pilot assembly is usually found near the bottom of the heating unit. You’ll see the pilot burner and a reset button grouped together. Reset switches are labeled with three settings: “On,” “Off” and “Pilot.”

Turn Off the Gas Flow

Turn the reset knob to the “Off” setting. This position shuts off the flow of gas. Don’t attempt to relight without completing this step.

Wait for Dissipation

Once the gas has been turned off, you need to wait for it to dissipate. If you don’t spend several minutes waiting, you could ignite the remaining gas instead of the pilot light. Waiting two minutes is usually sufficient.

Open the Flow of Fuel

Now, it’s time to relight the furnace. Turn the reset knob to the position marked “Pilot.” You’ll hear the gas begin to flow again.

Relight the Pilot

With a lighted match or lighter in your hand, push the reset button in while it’s in the “Pilot” position. Move the flame into the assembly opening to ignite the burner. Hold in the reset button throughout this process. Don’t let go of it until the pilot is burning steadily with a bright, blue flame. Once you turn the knob back to the “On” position, your heating system should start right up.

Dependable Professional Assistance

If you encounter a problem, have difficulty or would simply prefer not to do this yourself, Loren’s Heating and Air offers professional furnace assistance for homeowners throughout the Salem, OR, area. Our team can maintain, repair, and install all makes and models of heating equipment. In fact, we offer the same full line of services for cooling equipment as well. You can also rely on us for indoor air quality testing. Since 1973, we’ve been serving property owners throughout this community. Our technicians are certified by the NATE, and our company is a factory-authorized Carrier Dealer. Call us today to learn more about our residential services.