Pilot Light Keeps Going Out

A pilot that keeps dropping out is a safety device shutting the fuel down on purpose, so call rather than fighting it with a lighter every evening.

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When this becomes an emergency

The pilot goes out within seconds of letting go of the button.
It stays lit for a day or two and then quits again on its own.
The flame won't wrap around the sensor probe the way it used to.
There's a sharp sulfur smell in the room; leave and call from outside if gas is in the air.

What a pro does

The part doing the shutting off is a thermocouple or thermopile, a probe that turns flame heat into a tiny voltage and holds the gas valve open with it. When that voltage falls below what the valve needs, whether from corrosion, a cracked probe, or a flame that no longer surrounds it, the valve closes within seconds. A technician measures that output rather than guessing, cleans or repositions the pilot assembly, and checks gas pressure at the valve. Pressure is worth naming separately: propane systems running long lines from an outdoor tank can sag under load in deep cold, and a pilot that's already at the edge of holding will be the first thing to go.

Frequently asked questions

Why does it hold for days and then fail again?

A sensor putting out marginal voltage works until something small tips it over, like a colder night, a draft, or a bit more soot, which is why intermittent failures are still failures.

Does gas pressure really affect the pilot?

It does. A pilot flame is small to begin with, and pressure dropping under heavy demand shrinks it enough that it stops properly heating the sensor probe.

Is soot around the pilot a bad sign?

It points to incomplete combustion at the pilot, usually from a partly blocked orifice, and the soot then makes the problem worse by insulating the very sensor that has to get hot.

Are older standing-pilot systems worth keeping?

Many run reliably for decades once the sensor and orifice are right. The pilot design itself isn't the problem; a worn component in it usually is.

Pilot Light Keeps Going Out?

Get connected with a local pro now.

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