Almost all gas appliances have something in common, a pilot light. This little flame is responsible for igniting the rest of the components. If it were to go out, your appliance would be useless. This can be very frustrating at times, as even the lightest breeze can blow out the flame. Luckily, reigniting this flame is simple.
The first step would be to locate the pilot. Now the location of this is different, depending on what you are working on. To find the location on your appliance, take a look around. You should see a knob that has three options, “Off”, “On”, and “Pilot.” Near that knob is where the pilot and reset switch will be. If you still can’t find the location, refer to your manual.
Once you have located the knob, turn it to “Off” and wait for about five minutes. This step is important because it gives the gas time to dissipate. If you skip this step, you risk starting a fire from gas lingering in the area.
Next up, simply turn the knob from “Off” to “Pilot”, this starts the flow of gas to the pilot. Get a lighter or a match, hold the reset switch, and bring your match or lighter close to the pilot. Once the pilot is lit, you can release the reset switch. Just to make sure, stick around for a minute or two, if it all worked out perfectly, your pilot will stay lit and now you can use your appliance again.
To make sure this does not happen again, inspect the area for any drafts. Pilots mainly go out because of a strong gust, if you get rid of this, you will likely never have to touch your pilot again.
Important Notes About Pilot Lights
• If the steps above did not work for you, there is something else wrong with your appliance. The next step would be to troubleshoot, or to contact a professional plumbing company.
• For safety purposes, do not try to light your appliance without first turning it off and waiting for a few minutes. The excess gas in the air could ignite and lead to serious harm to your house and yourself.
• If you cannot reach the pilot, the next best thing would be to roll up a piece of paper, putting you at a safe distance from the flame.
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