Is it safe to relight the pilot myself, or should a professional do it?
Relighting a standing pilot yourself is normal, homeowner-safe operation — every unit is built and labeled for it, and you just follow the printed OFF/PILOT/ON sequence. It becomes our job the moment it won't stay lit, takes repeated tries, smells like gas, or burns weak and yellow. Lighting is DIY; anything past a clean relight is a service call.
Where the line falls
Relighting a standing pilot is something the appliance is specifically built and labeled for you to do — turn the knob to PILOT, hold, spark, release to ON. That's routine operation, no different from any other control on the unit. What crosses into our territory is everything mechanical behind it: replacing a thermocouple, cleaning a clogged pilot orifice, adjusting or rebuilding the gas valve. In North Carolina that's licensed gas work, and taking apart the valve yourself isn't just risky — it's the kind of work the law reserves for licensed contractors like us. Light it, yes. Repair it, no.
The three stop signs
Stop and call instead of relighting if any of these show up. One: you smell gas — leave the house and call from outside, every time, no exceptions. Two: the pilot won't hold after a couple of honest tries, which points to a dirty or failing sensor rather than your technique. Three: the pilot burns yellow, sooty, or lazy instead of a crisp blue — that flame isn't healthy and needs a look. Around Asheville we see the second one constantly the first cold week of fall, when spiders and dust that built up over summer choke the pilot assembly.
One accountable company
The advantage of calling us is that it's all one licensed shop — the same people who install and permit these systems also service them, so nothing gets bounced between a showroom and whoever's licensed to make it burn. Pilot repairs are usually among the least expensive we do: often a cleaning or a small part, quoted upfront before any work starts. Most we finish in a single visit, with common parts already on the truck. If a routine relight isn't taking, reach us at (828) 545-0525.
Related questions
- How do I light the pilot light on my gas fireplace?
- How long should I wait before trying again if the pilot doesn't catch on the first try?
- How do I completely shut off the gas to my fireplace, and where is the shutoff valve?
- I rent my home — is it OK for me to light the pilot and use the gas fireplace myself, or should I go through my landlord?
- Do I need to relight the pilot after my propane tank runs empty or the gas is shut off for service, and is there air in the line to work through?
- How long do I hold the pilot knob down when lighting it, and why won't it stay lit if I let go too soon?
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