Faulty Pilot Light? How to Tell, and What to Do in Upstate NY & Vermont
A healthy pilot light burns steady and blue. A yellow, flickering or constantly dying flame signals a problem such as a dirty pilot, bad thermocouple or draft. If you smell gas, leave and call for help immediately.
Which of your appliances still has a pilot light
Many newer gas and propane furnaces use an electronic igniter and have no standing pilot. But older furnaces, some boilers, gas water heaters, fireplaces and stoves common in Upstate and Vermont homes still use one. Oil systems do not have pilot lights at all. If your appliance is more than 15 or 20 years old and burns gas or propane, there is a good chance it has one.
What a healthy pilot flame looks like
A good pilot is steady, mostly blue and hugs the thermocouple. A yellow or orange flame, a tall flickering flame, or one that looks weak or lazy signals incomplete combustion or dirt. A yellow flame also raises carbon monoxide concerns, so treat it as a warning and not a cosmetic issue.
Common reasons a pilot light goes out
- A dirty pilot orifice or burner clogged with dust and rust.
- A worn thermocouple that no longer senses the flame.
- Drafts from a downdraft in the chimney or a window fan, common on windy winter nights.
- A low or interrupted gas supply, such as a nearly empty propane tank.
- A failing gas valve.
If the pilot goes out repeatedly, the cause is almost always one of these, and none of them improve on their own.
Gas smell: stop and leave
If you smell gas, do not relight anything, do not flip light switches and do not use a phone indoors. Get everyone out, then call your gas or propane supplier and 911 from outside. This is the one situation where waiting is never the right call.
Relighting safely, if there is no gas smell
Follow the instructions printed on the appliance. Turn the valve to off and wait several minutes so any leftover gas clears, then set it to pilot, hold the reset button and light the flame, holding a few seconds more after it catches. If it will not stay lit after a second try, stop. Repeated attempts do not fix a bad thermocouple, and some of these jobs belong with a licensed technician.
Why it matters in our climate
A pilot problem usually means a no-heat call, and no-heat calls tend to come on the coldest night of the winter. A propane customer in a rural town may also have a delivery question to rule out. Keep our 24/7 line, (518) 333-7431, handy, and see the no heat help page for a quick checklist.
Time to repair or replace?
Thermocouple and pilot assembly replacements are routine repairs on any brand; see our furnace repair page. But if the furnace is old, rusty and unreliable, apply our "$5,000 rule" of thumb: repair cost multiplied by system age reaches $5,000 or more, replacement usually makes more sense. If you are replacing, compare a modern RUUD furnace with a cold-climate heat pump on the Heating Cost Calculator.
A technician will also check the gas valve, the thermocouple output and the flue, so the cause is fixed and not just the symptom.
Water heaters and fireplaces
The same warning signs apply to a gas or propane water heater pilot and to fireplace logs. A water heater with a weak or yellow pilot, soot around the burner chamber or a pilot that dies every few days needs a technician. In cold basements, drafts can blow a pilot out whenever the furnace kicks on, and a house made tighter by new windows can starve appliances of combustion air.
Our water heater service covers repair and replacement of all brands. Tune-ups for a water heater run $198.89 per visit.
Preventing pilot problems
Keep the area around gas appliances clean and clear of storage. Vacuum dust from the burner area when the appliance is off, check that vents are not blocked by snow or nests, and keep carbon monoxide detectors current. An annual tune-up cleans the pilot assembly and burner, tests the thermocouple and checks the gas valve. Plans make the cost predictable; see maintenance programs. For a no-heat emergency, the 24/7 line at (518) 333-7431 books at any hour.
Mark your calendar for a fall visit before the heating season begins.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my pilot light is faulty?
Superior CO-OP HVAC says a faulty pilot shows a yellow, orange or flickering flame, goes out repeatedly or leaves soot near the burner. A healthy pilot is steady and mostly blue. Any gas smell means leaving the house and calling for help immediately.
Why does my pilot light keep going out?
The usual causes Superior CO-OP HVAC finds are a dirty pilot orifice, a worn thermocouple, drafts, a weak gas supply or a failing gas valve. Repeated outages mean the cause needs to be diagnosed and not simply relit again and again.
Is a yellow pilot flame dangerous?
It can be. Superior CO-OP HVAC treats a yellow or orange pilot as a sign of incomplete combustion, which can produce carbon monoxide. Keep working CO detectors on every level and have the appliance inspected promptly. Treat it as a warning and not a cosmetic issue.
Do all furnaces have a pilot light?
No. Superior CO-OP HVAC notes that many newer gas and propane furnaces use electronic igniters, and oil furnaces and heat pumps have none. Older gas furnaces, boilers and water heaters often still use a standing pilot. Heat pumps and oil systems use other ignition methods.
Can Superior CO-OP HVAC fix a pilot or thermocouple?
Yes. Superior CO-OP HVAC repairs all brands of furnaces, boilers and water heaters, with a written quote before work starts. A $250 trip and diagnostic charge applies, and no-heat calls book any hour on (518) 333-7431. We can usually diagnose and quote on the first visit.
Thinking about a heat pump? Superior CO-OP HVAC is a Mitsubishi Diamond Contractor ELITE serving Upstate NY & Vermont. Get a free in-home estimate, run the Heating Cost Calculator, or call (518) 719-5614.