Pilot light went out ... can I fix it on my own (no explosion jokes please)

[Squisher]

Although putting on a thermocouple will be cheap and might fix it, there are multitude of things that can cause the pilot to go out, from a mis-adjusted pilot to a baffle allowing a draft to come down the chimney.

 

[ElFenix]

my father had a problem with the attic getting so hot that the pilot light would go out on a brand new water heater.

 

[JEDIYoda]

First thing you do is find the thermal nuclear coupling.
Then you follow the yellow wire down to the nuclear dispertion valve.
Then you open the nuclear dospertion valve with your right hand, while holding the dilithium optimizer in your left hand.
Once the dylithium optimizer starts to glow a bring read you must immediately insert the lit match that you preciously attached to a 6 ft wooden match holder.
After inseretion count to 30 and walaaaa your up and running again!!

Simple, No?

 

[WHAMPOM]

Got a good blue flame about 1 inch high? Yellow flame could be a corroded pilot flame orifice, we did have a very damp Summer. Fifteen years is old, time to replace both.

 

[Maverick2002]

Yea the flame is blue and about 1" on the pilot.

Both my furnace and water heater are 28 years old. If/when I decide to replace I'm probably going to go electric. Gas is cheaper per unit of usage, but you have to factor in fixed costs for gas delivery & reading, which is something like $35/month for me. I doubt electricity alone would cost me an extra $35/month over the equivalent gas usage. Anyway, I just want to get by with this thing for a while if possible.

 

[Maverick2002]

Thermocouple also looks dirty. Any particular way of cleaning it? Q-tip and water?

 

[Engineer]

Yea the flame is blue and about 1" on the pilot.

Both my furnace and water heater are 28 years old. If/when I decide to replace I'm probably going to go electric. Gas is cheaper per unit of usage, but you have to factor in fixed costs for gas delivery & reading, which is something like $35/month for me. I doubt electricity alone would cost me an extra $35/month over the equivalent gas usage. Anyway, I just want to get by with this thing for a while if possible.

Where you located (US)? There is a 30% tax credit (up to $1,500 Federal and maybe state) for upgrading to a 95% efficient gas furnace. The credit expires at the end of the year. My furnace is 20 years old and was 68% efficient when it was brand new. I'm very tempted to just go ahead and get the new one for the nearly extra 30% (or more as I'm sure my system is less efficient now) efficiency.

 

[Engineer]

Thermocouple also looks dirty. Any particular way of cleaning it? Q-tip and water?

Probably a little carbon buildup on it. If it's crusty, maybe a very fine grit sanding strip (800 to 1000 grit) and rub around it gently.

 

[Maverick2002]

Where you located (US)? There is a 30% tax credit (up to $1,500 Federal and maybe state) for upgrading to a 95% efficient gas furnace. The credit expires at the end of the year. My furnace is 20 years old and was 68% efficient when it was brand new. I'm very tempted to just go ahead and get the new one for the nearly extra 30% (or more as I'm sure my system is less efficient now) efficiency.

I'm in Ohio. Does the tax credit work like the housing credit where you basically just get a check for $X up to $1500 for 30% of the cost of the furnace?

How much does a typical furnace (installation and all that jazz included) run? What's a good place to do some homework on it? Now might be a good time to replace it, but I'm wondering what kind of $ savings per month I'm looking at. As I mentioned I only use the furnace heavily for maybe 3 months out of the year and lightly for another month, with minimal gas usage for my water tank. I'm tempted to go all electric to save on the fixed monthly costs ($35/month). Does the credit apply to electric heaters as well?

 

[Maverick2002]

Looks like it shuts off immediately after the furnace is done heating the place, so maybe it is the thermocouple.