{"id":1877,"date":"2023-01-30T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-30T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/?p=1877"},"modified":"2023-01-30T10:18:51","modified_gmt":"2023-01-30T15:18:51","slug":"do-gas-furnaces-still-use-pilot-lights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aprofessionalheatingandair.com\/blog\/do-gas-furnaces-still-use-pilot-lights\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Gas Furnaces Still Use Pilot Lights?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"old-cast-iron-furnace\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Most homeowners know if they have a gas or electric furnace in their homes. However, if we were to ask most people if their gas furnace has a pilot light, a lot of homeowners would probably respond that they don\u2019t even know what a pilot light is\u2013let alone if their furnace has one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The natural gas furnace has been popular since the 1940s, replacing coal-burning furnaces as a safer and more convenient option. Furnace technology has continued to advance not only in safety and convenience but in efficiency too. And so we come to the question: are standing pilot lights in furnaces<\/a> still a thing? Let\u2019s look into this question in more depth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Does a Pilot Light Do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A furnace\u2019s pilot light (also referred to as a standing pilot light) is a flame inside the unit that is constantly \u201clit.\u201d It serves as an ignition source for the burners when gas starts to flow from them. It removes the need to manually light the burners with a match which as you can imagine is both incredibly unsafe and inconvenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pilot light stays lit through the heating season. Your furnace also has a device that assists the pilot light called a thermocouple. This safety device can detect if the burners have ignited or not. It works like a failsafe to keep unburned gas from accumulating and will shut off the flow of gas if the burners don\u2019t ignite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All gas furnaces manufactured in the last 20 years or so are also equipped with a shut-off valve. This valve operates automatically and shuts off the gas flow if the pilot light goes out, eliminating the risk of excessive gas buildup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does My Furnace Have a Standing Pilot Light?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If your furnace is a couple of decades old or older, it\u2019s likely that it has a pilot light. One way to check is to look for a round knob on the gas valve with the words Off\/On\/Pilot. New furnaces have phased out the pilot light which has its drawbacks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n