Pilot Light Keeps Going Out

A pilot that refuses to hold usually means a safety component has weakened, so call rather than relight it a dozen more times.

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When this becomes an emergency

The pilot dies again within seconds of every relight.
The flame is small and lazy, leaning yellow instead of holding blue.
There is a rotten-egg odor near the appliance; leave the building and call from outside if you smell gas.
Dark soot has collected around the pilot hood or burner face.

What a pro does

The pilot flame itself is rarely the problem. Attention goes to the thermocouple or thermopile, the small sensor that proves flame and holds the gas valve open, because when it weakens or drifts out of the flame it reports darkness while a flame burns right beside it and the valve snaps shut. Propane appliances add a second suspect, since regulator pressure that sags on a cold morning starves a pilot that held fine the day before. Combustion air is the third thing checked in a tight house that's been weatherized hard.

Frequently asked questions

Is a thermocouple an expensive part?

No, it is a small sensor with a single job, and a weak or misaligned one is the leading reason a pilot will not stay lit.

Can cold weather alone cause this on propane?

It can contribute. Vapor pressure falls as the tank gets cold and low, and a regulator working at the edge of its range delivers an unsteady pilot.

Is relighting it repeatedly a problem?

Trying once or twice tells you whether it holds. Beyond that you are overriding a safety device that is signaling for a reason.

What if there is a gas smell as well?

Leave the building first and call from outside. Nothing about the pilot matters more than getting people away from an odor of gas.

Pilot Light Keeps Going Out?

Get connected with a local pro now.

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