What Do I Do If My Pilot Light Goes Out?

Put propane safety first

Electronic ignition is used in most of today’s propane gas appliances. However, many older ones and a few newer ones still have a pilot light.

The pilot light is the little flame within your appliance that rekindles the main burner and prevents propane gas leaks. It’s meant to be burning at all times.

A pilot light may go out from time to time. The intake valves might get clogged with dirt and dust, causing this to happen. It can be put out by a draft. The pilot light may have burnt out automatically as a result of a leak in your appliance. A thermocouple could have gone bad.

Is the pilot light going out frequently? If this is the case, you’ll need a professional specialist like P. Gagnon & Son’s skilled and experienced service technicians to assess it and make any necessary repairs.

If you detect a rotten-egg odor of propane gas in your home, follow propane safety best practices get everyone out of the house right away. Call 911 and P. Gagnon & Son once you’ve safely evacuated the home.

Troubleshooting your pilot light

If you follow the steps below, you may be able to restart your pilot on your own without needing a service call from P. Gagnon & Son.

NOTE: These instructions for troubleshooting are only for pilot lights and not for appliances with electronic ignitions.

Read the manufacturer’s instructions for your appliance. Follow them to the letter. 

1. Turn off the appliance at the power switch or thermostat. 
2. Find the gas valve for the pilot. It usually has markings for “ON,” “OFF,” and “PILOT.” Turn it to “OFF” and wait at least three minutes so it can reset. 
3. If the valve is sticky, don’t try to force it or use oil. These can damage the valve and cause gas leaks. Contact us for a service call.
4. When at least three minutes have passed, turn the valve to the “PILOT” setting. Then press and hold the reset button and simultaneously hold a lighted match next to — not inside — the pilot light opening. Once the pilot ignites, set the valve to “ON.” 
5. If this does not work, please contact us for a service call because whatever the problem is, it requires the attention of a trained professional.

P. Gagnon & Son is ready to assist you with this problem. We’ll make a service call if you have any questions or concerns about doing the troubleshoot yourself.

At P. Gagnon & Son, we are dedicated to propane safety when it comes to delivering propane and taking care of your propane appliances. Get in touch with us if you have any questions about propane safety.