Boehmer Heating & Cooling Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Pilot Light’

Why Won’t My Pilot Light Stay Lit? Pittsburgh Heating Repair Tip

Monday, January 14th, 2013

There are a few different reasons why the pilot light in your Pittsburgh home may have trouble staying lit. While not all of them are particularly serious, any malfunctioning pilot light should be recognized as a potential safety hazard. If your pilot light just does not want to stay lit, we encourage you to contact the Pittsburgh heating experts at Boehmer Heating & Cooling. We have the skills, training and tools necessary to determine if your pilot light issues are just a matter of a faulty component or if there is a serious issue in your basement.

One reason that your pilot light may not stay lit is a faulty thermocouple. A thermocouple is a safety feature that gas furnaces and water heaters feature designed to stem the flow of gas to the appliance in the event that the combustion process is not safe to perform. Basically the thermocouple detects heat at the burner of your furnace. If there is not sufficient heat to keep the combustion of the fuel going safely the thermocouple will sense this and trigger the shut off of the gas supply. If your thermocouple malfunctions it may not sense sufficient heat even if it is there, causing it to shut off the flow of gas even when there is no threat to your safety.

A more serious issue that may cause your pilot light to go out frequently is a problem with the supply of gas itself. For instance, if there is a gas leak en route to your furnace there may not be enough gas coming in to keep the pilot light lit. Anytime that you are dealing with a combustible fuel like natural gas you need to be sure that it is provided in a safe, effective manner. A natural gas leak can lead to exposure to carbon monoxide, a toxic gas.

For more information on potential reasons that your pilot light will not stay lit, contact the Pittsburgh heating professionals at Boehmer Heating & Cooling. We want to make sure that you are safe in your Pittsburgh home. Let us help you heat your home and water in a safe, efficient manner. Schedule service today.

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