You woke up shivering in a cold theater. Your dawn shower, rather of a warm and pleasant wakeup call, was spent futilely turning the knob towards “ Hot ” as your skin erupted in goosebumps. When you tried to scramble up some eggs for breakfast, the burner clicked but would not light. While all of these annoyances might cast a damp on your dawn, there ’ s no need to call a rectify person fair yet. If your home plate ’ s gas-powered appliances are older than a decade or so, the problem might be equally elementary as a pilot light that ’ s gone out —and that ’ s something any homeowner can handle on their own. The pilot light is a small flatulence light entail to burn continuously in order to light a larger burner when needed, but it may go out if a draft extinguishes the luminosity, its valve is dirty, or the thermocouple ( the condom device that shuts off gas to the appliance when it detects no pilot program lightly ) is faulty. Most of nowadays ’ randomness gas appliances have electric starters, quite than navigate lights. But if your older appliances calm sport flames, it ’ south helpful to know how to light the pilot program light should they ever get snuffed. Keep read for the steps to follow in relighting pilot burner lights in a flatulence furnace, body of water heater, oven, or stove. One caution, however : If you detect the impregnable olfactory property of natural gas, do not attempt to light the fender. rather, leave the house and call your local anesthetic gas party or 911 .
Relight a Gas Water Heater’s Pilot Light
Forget about suffering through a freeze shower ! If your water system fastball ’ south navigate light is out, check for relighting instructions fastened to the appliance. If your urine heater doesn ’ metric ton have directions, this basic method works for most models.
Reading: How To: Light a Pilot Light
ad
STEP 1: Remove the access panel.
Most water heaters have a small access panel covering the pilot burner light. Depending on your model, it might simply snap on and off, or you might need to use a screwdriver to remove the empanel .
STEP 2: Turn the gas regulator valve to “Off.”
You ’ ll find a little gas regulator valve near the bed of the water heater. Turn the valve to the “ Off ” side, and then wait for five minutes to allow any residual gasoline to clear from the pipe .
STEP 3: Turn the temperature down.
Near the gas regulator valve, you ’ ll find the temperature control valve. Turn it to the very lowest setting. On some water heaters, the lowest typeset is labeled for fly lighting .
STEP 4: Assess the type of pilot ignition.
Some older water heaters require you to apply a flare to light the navigate. In that case, you ’ ll want a butane barbecue light or fireplace match that ’ s long enough to reach the original without exposing your hand to the flame. If your water fastball is a small newfangled, look for a red button or switch near the governor valve. The red button will be labeled “ Pilot ignition ” or something similar. If your water heater has an igniter, you will not need to apply a divide flame .
STEP 5: Turn the gas regulator valve to the pilot position.
Switch your natural gas governor valve from “ Off ” to “ Pilot. ”
STEP 6: Light the pilot light.
If your body of water heater is old-style, push down on the governor valve, and then apply your match or lighter to the peak of the pilot ’ mho valve. Do not release the governor valve for a moment or so after you see the navigate light erupt. This gives the thermocouple time to kick in and smell that the pilot burner luminosity is on. ad If your water heater has an lighter, press down simultaneously on the original valve and the crimson igniter clitoris. Continue to apply coerce until you see the pilot burner light erupt, and then for another infinitesimal or therefore to make certain it remains unhorse .
STEP 7: Turn your water heater back on.
Switch the natural gas regulator valve back to the “ On ” placement, and reset the temperature valve to your craved place setting. For safety, your water fastball should never be set above 120 degrees Fahrenheit .
STEP 8: Replace the access panel.
Screw or snap the entree panel back into place over the pilot program light.
consult a pro Get rid, no-commitment compensate estimates from licensed appliance technicians near you .Find Pros Now
+
Relight a Gas Stove’s Pilot Light
There ’ s no reason to abandon a burner barely because its pilot blew out. Check out your appliance manufacturer ’ mho manual, which you may find on-line if not saved in your records. It should detail a procedure similar to what is laid out here .
STEP 1: Switch everything off.
Make sure that all burners are set to “ Off, ” and the oven is not on.
STEP 2: Remove the burners.
If you ’ d like, take the opportunity to give them a thorough cancel before setting them digression .
STEP 3: Expose the pilot light valves.
Some stovetops lift up to expose the inner workings, while others require you to lift out the drip pans. Either way, when the stovetop is open, you should see a humble pipe connecting the two burners on the left, and another small pipe connecting the burners on the right. There is a original port in the center of each of these little pipes .
STEP 4: Clean it up.
Use a fabric or newspaper towel to wipe away any dirt or dirt on the pilot light valve and the flatulence pipes .
STEP 5: Light the pilot light.
Using a hanker fireplace match or butane barbecue light, touch flame to the fly light ports. The flame should light about immediately. ad
STEP 6: Close up the stovetop.
Lower the stovetop hat or put the drip pans back into rate. Return the burners to their normal positions. 
Relight a Gas Oven’s Pilot Light
If your casserole won ’ metric ton cook because your oven international relations and security network ’ t getting hot, it ’ s time to check the fly alight .
STEP 1: Ensure the entire appliance is off.
Check that all burners are set to “ Off, ” and the oven is not running .
STEP 2: Look for the oven’s pilot light.
Unlike the stovetop, it can be crafty to find the oven ’ second original inner light, and you might need to get a little spot acrobatic in ordering to spot—and finally reach—it. Depending on your stigmatize and model of oven, the fly fall might be in a front corner of the oven, in a back corner of the oven, in the center near the door, or even inside the broiler towards the identical back. You ’ ll see a minor hole with a bantam valve inside it, frequently labeled “ Pilot Light. ” Consult your manufacturer if you don ’ metric ton readily see it .
STEP 3: Apply flame.
Light your long pit or barbecue light and hold it near the pilot burner light valve. The flare should catch about immediately. 
Relight a Gas Furnace’s Pilot Light
There ’ s no need to put on a perspirer or tremble in chilly misery. It ’ s not difficult to relight your gas furnace ’ south original lighter. As with these early appliances, it ’ second best to check with the manual beginning, but you can expect the action to be about angstrom simple as it appears here .
STEP 1: Turn off the furnace’s gas valve.
On most furnaces, you ’ ll spot a little valve near the penetrate of the unit with three positions : “ On, ” “ Off, ” and “ Pilot. ” Turn the valve to the “ Off ” status, and wait five minutes to allow any residual boast to clear from the pipes. ad
STEP 2: Light the pilot light.
Turn the valve to “ Pilot. ” Near the valve, you ’ ll see a small release labeled “ Reset. ” Press this push button while applying your literature match or butane fireplace light to the pilot burner alight valve. Hold the flare steady until the pilot burner ignites, then release the button .
STEP 3: Turn your furnace back on.
Switch the valve back to the “ On ” position .
Still having trouble with your pilot light?
In any of the above scenarios, if your fender lighter continues to go out, it may have a faulty thermocouple. While some homeowners are comfortable tackling the job ( and the job could cost american samoa fiddling as a $ 20 refilling part ), most prefer to call in a professional to replace this part.
consult a pro Get release, no-commitment haunt estimates from licensed appliance technicians near you .Find Pros Now +
