How To Light A Gas Furnace With Picture Summary

I came home from work after two and a half hours of braving the snow and ice only to find my thermostat registering 59 degrees. When I checked the furnace there was no fire. No one is coming at ten at night to light the furnace. If you find someone there will be a hefty fee to pay. During regular business hours the cheapest I found was $75 for the service call. The secretary wasn't sure if I would be charged extra to light the thing. So, I want to share with you how to light your furnace in a minute. Yep this my second time having to light this furnace.

First you turn off the thermostat on the wall. This is the one you adjust to your comfort. Next remove the door that houses the pilot, the top door for my older model. Locate the pilot knob and turn it to off. Make sure you don't smell any gas. Have your long stem gas lighter ready. A match will not due. Now turn your pilot knob to "pilot". In some models you will depress this button. Other models have a separate red button. When you press the button you hear the gas come on. Hold your lit lighter over the pilot until it catches. Once you see the flame turn off the lighter but hold the button in until the slow count of 60, one minute. Release it and turn the knob to on if your fire remains lit. Replace your door and turn on the heat. It may take more than one try. It took me three. I didn't hold the button down for the full minute the first two attempts.

Picture Summary:

1.Turn off the wall thermostat. As you can see since lighting the thing, the temp has gone from 59 to 64 degrees.

2. Next remove the door that houses the pilot, the top door for my older model.

Top door to pilot.












3. Locate the pilot where you will hold the fire from your lighter.













Follow that silver tube to the middle. You will hold the lighter just behind that area moving the flame around until the fire catches.








4. Locate the pilot knob and turn it to off. Make sure you don't smell any gas.

The brown button is the button you will turn to off, pilot and on.
The red button is the one you will depress to light the pilot. Depress it for one minute after the pilot fires up.










5. Grab your long stem lighter.

6. Turn the brown button to pilot.
7. Flick your lighter.
8. Press the red button.
9. Hold you fire over the pilot near the end of the silver tube.
10. After the flame catches, remove the lighter and hold the red button for one minute, the count of sixty.
11. Release the red button.
12. If the fire stays lit, turn the brown button to on.
13. Replace the door.
14. Turn your wall thermostat on and you have heat!!!