How Much Money To Keep The Heater Pilot Light On

Every year, new gas fireplaces seem to get smarter and easier to use.

This kind of advancement is perfect if y'all are the type of person who loves your gas fireplace but doesn't necessarily demand to know how it works.

Merely at that place is one feature of all gas appliances that you should exist familiar with. Unfortunately, it happens to be the one piece of the fireplace puzzle that people take the most questions most.

Of course, I'm talking most the pilot light.

To assistance you understand more most this vital function of your fireplace, nosotros have put together a comprehensive listing of fireplace pilot light frequently asked questions. We take all the answers to help you empathize how your pilot light functions, what to do when something goes wrong, and all the safety precautions yous need to be enlightened of.

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Gas Fireplace Pilot Light FAQ

Prepare to go to know your fireplace pilot light a fiddling better? Let's dig in!

Firstly: messing with gas is dangerous. If you aren't sure if information technology's condom to work on, and then go a professional.

Click the push beneath to get a free quote from a local heating adept.

What is a gas pilot light?

A airplane pilot calorie-free is a pocket-size flame that is kept alight using a steady, small stream of gas. This continuous flame is necessary to light large burners such as those found in gas fireplaces.

When the fireplace or propane heater is turned on, the airplane pilot light serves as an ignition source for the larger sweep of gas released from the burner. It also provides the energy necessary to open and close sure gas valves during startup.

Some newer models of gas fireplaces utilize an electric ignitor in place of a traditional continuing gas pilot light. These units require electricity or battery backup to part and may not be useful in a ability-out emergency.

How much does it cost to run a gas fireplace airplane pilot light?

According to Anderson Fireplace, gas pilot lights use about ane,000 BTUs per hour. Based on the average toll of natural gas, this comes out to about $7 to $x per month.

This amount can easily add up if the unit of measurement is left running all twelvemonth long–y'all could potentially be spending upward to $120 per year on gas just to keep your pilot light going.

To save money, some people volition turn off their gas feed between uses, thereby turning off their airplane pilot calorie-free. The downside to this, of form, is that you lot will need to manually relight your pilot every fourth dimension you want to use your fireplace.

A amend alternative would be to plough off the gas feed in the jump and relight the pilot in the autumn and leave it running through the colder months.

Should the pilot light always be on in a gas fireplace?

Nearly gas fireplaces rely on a "continuous airplane pilot light," a type of pilot that remains lit and so long as gas is flowing to the unit. Some newer, more free energy-efficient models rely on an electronic ignition that but lights the pilot when the fireplace itself is turned on.

Electronic ignition fireplaces rely on battery backup or electricity to operate. With these units, you will not encounter a airplane pilot flame unless the fireplace is in apply.

If you have a continuous pilot calorie-free arrangement, y'all should always come across a pilot flame unless yous have manually turned the system off. Not seeing a airplane pilot flame could indicate a trouble.

Information technology is a good thought to familiarize yourself with which type of unit yous take and then yous will know if an unlit airplane pilot is indicative of a problem or non.

Is it safe to leave the pilot calorie-free on all the time?

Generally speaking, it is prophylactic to go out your continuous pilot light on at all times, assuming it stays lit (more on this in a moment).

While it does cost more to keep your pilot light on in between uses, it can really have some benefits to your system.

By keeping gas flowing through the pipes and valves consistently, y'all volition forbid insects from setting upwards shop inside the unit. Spider webs and other bug debris tin clog the pilot calorie-free tubing and compromise your entire system.

Keeping the pilot light running also prevents moisture build-up in the pipes. Since excess wet increases the rate of corrosion, this can aid your system last longer.

The toll of leaving the airplane pilot light running should exist weighed against the benefits to your system that come with leaving it on.

Is it ok to leave the pilot light on for your gas fireplace in summertime?

As nosotros discussed above, the effect of leaving a airplane pilot light on all summertime has less to exercise with safety and more to do with cost.

While the benefits of leaving your airplane pilot light on are probably worth this extra cost and the ease of turning on the fireplace in the winter, it is more often than not not worth it to keep it on all summer. The exception to this might be if yous live somewhere with an extraordinary brusk warm season.

In most climates, even so, it is best to close your system down once you are washed using it in the spring. When you lot do this, brand sure to turn off the master gas feed to the unit of measurement.

Once the weather starts to cool again, have your system serviced. Cleaning the unit will remove any debris and bugs that moved into the pipes over the summertime and will assure everything is performance properly. Once the system is given a thumbs upward, you or your service provider can relight the airplane pilot.

Is it dangerous if the pilot light goes out?

Since a pilot calorie-free is a flame fed by a continuous flow of gas, then it stands to reason that the flame going out would permit gas to period freely into your house.

While this is a possibility, it is actually less likely to happen than you might think.

The number ane reason a airplane pilot light goes out is because gas menstruation gets disrupted. When this happens, no gas is present to flow into your home.

Even if the airplane pilot goes out and gas continues to flow, virtually all modernistic gas appliances have safety measures in place to end the gas menstruum if a flame is not present. The most mutual safeguard is a temperature-sensitive valve well-nigh the airplane pilot flame that will automatically shut if information technology gets too cool.

No matter the reason for a pilot going out or the prophylactic measures in identify, it is ever prudent to manually switch off the gas feed for a time before relighting the pilot. This will allow any residual gas in the room to dissipate before a new flame is introduced.

Of course, if y'all smell gas in the area of your fireplace you should immediately shut off the feed, open windows to increase ventilation, and call a professional to cheque for bug.

What should I do when my pilot calorie-free goes out?

If y'all observe your airplane pilot light has gone out, the first thing you should do is shut off the gas feed and wait a few minutes. This volition clinch no excess gas has congenital upwards in the system or in the room.

Once you have given any excess gas a chance to dissipate, follow the instructions in your system'due south transmission to relight the pilot. Often, this will involve manually depressing the pilot valve and using an electric ignitor or match to light the airplane pilot.

Keep a close eye on your airplane pilot light once you have restored the flame. If the flame looks different than normal or goes out again, something may be wrong with your system.

Reference your owner's manual for further pedagogy. Information technology may be necessary to go a professional out to service the unit and bank check for whatever malfunctioning valves or safety features.

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What practice I exercise when my gas pilot light won't calorie-free?

If the pilot will not light, double-check your gas feed. The gas line to the arrangement itself needs to be open.

If this isn't the issue, then there may exist a problem with the gas feed to your habitation. Telephone call your gas service provider to check that your business relationship is up to date. They should exist able to tell y'all if your service is working properly and, if non, they should transport out a technician to diagnose the problem.

If gas is flowing into your organisation properly and your pilot still will not lite, this could indicate a number of issues.

At that place may exist a trouble with the spark ignitor or thermocouple. Place these parts using your manual. Clear abroad any debris and cheque for proper installation.

Turning off your gas feed then blowing compressed air into the pilot apparatus and surrounding parts can help articulate away debris, as well.

Expect a moment and and then plough the gas valve back on and effort to relight the airplane pilot again.

If it still won't light, you are likely dealing with a loose connection, defective valve, or bad ignition switch or thermocouple. At this indicate, your best bet is to call a professional to come out and evaluate the unit. Make sure to plow the pilot valve off in the concurrently.

How do you turn off the pilot light on a gas fireplace?

If your fireplace is malfunctioning or you merely don't plan on using information technology for a while, you may desire to plow off the airplane pilot light. Luckily, this is usually a adequately straightforward process.

For near fireplaces, all you lot volition need to practice is open the front of the unit to access the pilot, so turn the airplane pilot light valve to the off position. For added safety, it is ever recommended to and then plow the main gas shutoff valve for the arrangement to the off position, equally well.

If your pilot lite valve is not immediately credible, reference your fireplace user manual to assure yous are turning off the correct valve.

Last Takeaways on Gas Fireplace Pilot Light Safe

The more than you know about airplane pilot lights, the less scary this necessary function of your fireplace system seems to be.

Having your fireplace serviced each year, taking proper precautions if your airplane pilot lite does go out, and knowing how to relight it when necessary, will help proceed you and your family unit rubber.

Of course, if you find yourself questioning anything about your pilot light in the futurity, know that you can e'er come back to this fireplace pilot low-cal frequently asked questions guide to notice the answers you lot need.

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Source: https://www.essentialhomeandgarden.com/gas-fireplace-pilot-light-faq/

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