Pilot light woes on older furnace?

The old-time standing pilot light is being phased out in favor of electronic ignitions.

In the new system, electricity heats the ignition rather than a match. This gas-powered ignition ends the hassle of older pilot lights, which can blow out for a variety of reasons.

Pilot problems

If your furnace is one of the older models, here are tips for handling some common problems with the standing pilot light:

• Sometimes a strong draft of air will blow out the light. Follow the manual’s instructions on the best way to relight it.

• The thermocouple may turn out your light for safety reasons. Or the pilot light may burn out repeatedly. In these cases call a furnace technician to fix the underlying problem.

• The thermocouple, an important safety device, can go off-kilter itself if it gets dirty or if it slips out of place. Again, a technician can fix this problem for you.

Lighthouse HVAC maintains and installs furnaces in homes and businesses.