Why Does My Furnace Pilot Light Go Out?

Does your furnace’s pilot light keep going out and you can’t figure out why? There are several reasons that could be causing your gas furnace’s pilot light to go out continuously. Some of the most common problems include:

Thermocouple – The most common cause for a pilot light going out frequently is the thermocouple. The thermocouple verifies that the pilot light in your gas furnace is burning (to ensure that your furnace is not releasing unburned gas into your home). If it is bad or going bad, it could prevent your pilot light from staying lit. This is a pretty serious problem and should not be ignored. Contact a furnace repair specialist to assess and replace your thermocouple—if necessary—immediately.

Blocked Flue – If the thermocouple is not the problem, it is possible that you could also have a blockage in your furnace flue. Having your flue cleaned out should fix this problem.

Temperature Limit Switch – The temperature limit switch detects how much heat is building up in your flue. If the switch is defective and triggers a false positive—or if your flue is truly getting too hot—the temperature limit switch will shut off your gas for safety purposes. When the gas is shut off, your pilot light will go out. To check, or repair, this problem you will likely need the assistance of a furnace repair technician.

Blocked Pilot Light – Lastly, the pilot light itself could be blocked. You may be able to check this yourself, but be sure you turn the gas off before you do. We recommend erring on the side of caution and having a heating repair specialist assess the situation.

Gas Furnace Repair in Scranton, PA & Wilkes-Barre, PA

If the pilot light on your furnace keeps going out and you are in the northeastern Pennsylvania area, contact T.E. Spall & Son for professional gas furnace repair in Scranton, PA. We will perform a thorough diagnostic check of your home’s gas furnace and provide reliable furnace repair at a price you can afford.

Call T.E. Spall & Son today!