Understanding the furnace pilot is a crucial part oftroubleshooting your gas furnace.
The other end is connected to the pilot valve body.
As the thermocouple heats up, it produces a small amount of electricity.
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If possible, find the instructions adhered inside the furnace door cover or in the furnace’s instruction manual.
ensure the thermostat is set to the “heat” mode.
Get your match or lighter ready.
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Sometimes the pilot is hard to reach.
If possible, try and use a long fireplace match when you light it.
If you don’t have a fireplace match, then a butane barbecue grill lighter works well, too.
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Depress the button or knob for about 30 seconds.
This will ignite the burners and keep the flow of gas supplied as required for the burners.
Wait a few minutes, then repeat the above procedure.
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This time, hold the red reset button or depress the knob for about 45 to 60 seconds.
Once the main furnace burners ignite, adjust the thermostat to the desired setting.
You may also find that the pilot ignites, but that it is an anemic-looking flame.
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The flame should be strong enough to hit the thermocouple tip about 1/2-inch from the tip end.
Understanding the Efficiency Rating of Furnaces and Boilers.
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy.
