Gas furnace question

[Demo24]

Is the pilot light suppose to be lite all the time or just when it's about to light the gas to heat?


Had an issue with it earlier in the week and the guy lite it with some paper. Now I obviously have heat, but that flame stays on 24/7 which seems to me like its using a pretty noticeable amount of gas. Supposedly he was going to send a guy to come fix it, but I don't know if what he did was considered 'fixing it'.

The thermostat is on "Off" at the moment, flame is still on.

 

[Electric Amish]

Stays on all the time.

 

[theknight571]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
Stays on all the time.

Yup... only alternative would be a new furnace.

The newer ones don't have a pilot, they spark or use a glow plug to ignite the gas when needed.

I usually shut the gas to the furnace off in the warmer months just to save that little bit of gas and to not have a constant flame going in the basement.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Stays on all the time and it uses an extremely small amount of gas

 

[woodie1]

That's why newer models have electronic ignition.

 

[Demo24]

ah, alright well I'll leave it alone then. Flame looked a bit large to me and like something that I didn't want to pay for.

 

[Mark R]

It stays on all the time.

Pilot lights are significant consumers of gas (between $5 and $15 per month, depending on furnace size), so modern energy efficient furnaces no longer use them, and instead use spark ignition as required.

 

[lokiju]

Originally posted by: theknight571

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
Stays on all the time.

Yup... only alternative would be a new furnace.

The newer ones don't have a pilot, they spark or use a glow plug to ignite the gas when needed.

I usually shut the gas to the furnace off in the warmer months just to save that little bit of gas and to not have a constant flame going in the basement.

What he said.

Mine has a glow plug.