Learn some helpful tips on why your water pilot like keeps going out. Is there parts we can replace so that we do not have to purchase a new water heater? If you’re not eager to start tampering with crucial parts of your furnace system, furnace repair experts at Hot Point are just one phone call away to help you out. You awake on a cold winter morning and cast the covers aside. Now the pilot lite will not stay lit. Sometimes it lasts a couple days, sometimes just a couple minutes. I have found this happening on some service calls during high wind periods. Either the thermocouple is going bad or it is dirty and needs to be cleaned. When natural gas consumption peaks, the “gas grid” in your area may be nearing its capacity and lower the gas pressure intermittently. Is the wind blowing hard outside? Changing a Standing Pilot Boiler to Electronic Ignition, Resource: The Home Comfort Book: The ultimate guide to creating a comfortable, healthy, long lasting, and efficient home, Your email address will not be published. Thermocouples work by producing a small amount of voltage when it is heated. We can get it to light and it will stay lit for a day or two then it goes out. Sometimes it's referred to as the "flame sensor." Standing pilot lights are common in older furnaces, but many newer furnaces have intermittent pilot lights or hot surface igniters. Your email address will not be published. If the thermocouple isn't lined up correctly, it won't read the flame, and will shut the valve for the gas. Ok so, my water heater has a new thermocouple (actually a new pilot assembly) on it that is working but I’m still having issues.. There could be nothing wrong on your end. Your furnace may not be getting enough gas to keep the pilot lit. A layer of dirt and grime can hinder the electric current from reaching the thermocouple. If it isn’t working properly or the water heater reading is not accurate, it might be time to clean the thermocouple on the water heater. Read on for reasons why, and what you can do to fix it. Maybe the pilot stays on for a moment and the furnace attempts to fire, but almost immediately shuts down. This is the thermocouple. To resolve this problem, you’ll need a needle. The pilot light is supposed to be a strong blue cone, not a weak yellow flame. A faulty thermocouple can cause problems with your water heater not staying lit. Even a slight residue can make the thermocouple malfunction. Ask around your neighborhood and find out if anyone else has had issues with their natural gas. Keep every intake air register in your home open and clear to avoid a “vacuum” effect in the inlet. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These are the most common reasons why your heater’s pilot light won’t stay lit: 1. 1. Contact your utility company immediately. You can get injured if you don’t do this, so, take precautions. Yesterday, I replaced the thermocouple with a universal thermocouple and cleaned out the dust and soot from the burner area. Sometimes it occurred when a door was opened and other times not. Either the thermocouple is going bad or it is dirty and needs to be cleaned. That's the thermocouple. It would also help to have another person helping you or have alligator clamps for the thermocouple testing. Posted by 8 years ago. When the water heater is first lit, a valve releases gas into the burner, and the pilot light ignites that gas. In those cases, it became necessary for the person to get a chimney cap or flue cap. Your water heater’s thermocouple is responsible for sensing out when your pilot light is lit. Locate the pilot light and look for the tip of a copper rod very nearby. The thermocouple is the small copper rod that the pilot light hits. However, if the pilot light goes out, the thermocouple will cool failing to ignite the water heater. Why Does Your Heater’s Pilot Light Keep Going Off? Copyright© 2021 HighPerformanceHVAC.com |. If the thermocouple gives you the proper numbers for voltage and all of the above has been done, then you can replace the gas valve. Providing Heating, Air Conditioning, and Water Heater Services for. The number one reason why the pilot light keeps going out is the thermocouple. © 2021 Hot Point Heating & Air Conditioning LLC. Because the pilot is not keeping the thermo couple hot, after the burner shuts off the safety kicks in and cuts off the pilot. Over the years, your water heater’s pilot tube can become dirty and clogged resulting in your pilot light’s inability to stay lit. If the pilot light goes out, it doesn’t warm the thermocouple, which then shuts to prevent unused gas from building up. 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