The thermocouple safeguards against a catastrophic buildup of gas. If the thermocouple fails to shut off the gas, all the gas flowing through the furnace could get into your home. Sometimes it's referred to as the "flame sensor." It's a safety mechanism that shuts the gas off should the pilot go out. The thermocouple is the copper rod the pilot flame directly hits. Pilot light won't stay on? Read on for reasons why, and what you can do to fix it. If your pilot light won’t stay lit, the thermocouple is very likely the culprit. Of course, if you want to make sure the job is done right with the least amount of risk, contact experienced professionals at Hot Point for furnace repairs ASAP. You may be able to fix the problem on your own if you’ve got the tools and the wherewithal. Why does this happen?īefore conceding the cost of emergency repairs and calling an HVAC professional, read ahead for some of the most common reasons why your furnace pilot light won’t stay on. Maybe the pilot stays on for a moment and the furnace attempts to fire, but almost immediately shuts down. The furnace stopped working at some point during the night.Īttempts to re-light the pilot light are futile. A fierce, freezing draft sends shivers down your spine. You awake on a cold winter morning and cast the covers aside.
If you have followed these steps and your water heater pilot light won’t stay lit, you may need professional help to fix the problem, give All Masters a call if you live in Arlington TX, and we can fix any of your hot water heater thermocouple or pilot light issues! Ask about troubleshooting why your pilot light won’t work right over the phone via our new video chat app in the Arlington and greater DFW area.Here's Why Your Furnace Pilot Light Keeps Blowing Out
To do this replacement, you most likely need a professional to fix this type of thermocouple. If your gas water heater has a closed burner chamber or doesn’t have a pilot light, it’s much more difficult to access. If this is the problem, in most cases, it’s easily resolvable with the above steps. Make sure to bend the thermocouple back so it’s close enough to the pilot flame so it lightly touches the thermocouple. To fix this is also simple: bend the thermocouple back into its original position. When it’s bent to a certain extent away from the pilot light, it’s no longer functional because it won’t be able to detect the heat. If your attempt at water heater thermocouple cleaning doesn’t fix the problem, the issue may be that it’s bent. Always remember to shut off the gas before you start cleaning and to make sure that your thermocouple is cool.
Here’s how to clean your thermocouple:įirst, locate the thermocouple to clean it using a piece of sandpaper. If it’s dirty, then the electric current from the pilot may be disrupted and leads to a gas outage. However, your thermocouple may not necessarily be broken. Determining the Thermocouple Issue If It’s Not Broken This fix isn’t difficult and, in most cases, a thermocouple can be replaced at a nominal cost and quickly - in less than an hour by a handy homeowner. If you’re local, we’re a plumber in Arlington TX and can routinely replace the hot water heater thermocouple for you.īut, there’s good news. While some perform this task, you’re better off calling a licensed plumber to help. Sometimes HVAC companies get the call to repair water heaters. How to Replace Thermocouple on Water Heater?
This is a good place to clear up some confusion. To fix this issue, you will need to replace the device or have it professionally repaired. If you determine that your thermocouple is indeed broken – that means there aren’t any signs of being bent or dirty – then it’s most likely that your device is broken. When your thermocouple detects an unlit pilot, it automatically shuts off the gas to your water heater as a safety precaution. Your water heater pilot light works in concert with other parts. A bad thermocouple will shut off gas to both the pilot and the burner, which is when people notice that the water heater pilot light is out. How to Determine If You Have Gas Hot Water Heater Thermocouple IssuesĪ thermocouple is a function on your water heater that senses the heat on the pilot light and allows gas to flow to the burner. For more information about life expectancy, read this article entitled how long do water heaters last? Let’s discuss how to tell if a thermocouple is bad, below. If your pilot doesn’t re-light, won’t stay lit or keeps going out after a short time, you most likely have an issue with the hot water heater thermocouple. Make sure to follow the directions on your water heater label.
Water Heater Pilot Light Keeps Going Out?