When it comes to wall heaters, most people think of the electric variety. However, gas powered wall heaters are also very common in many households around the world.
Of course When it comes to turning on a gas heater, it’s much different than an electric wall heater. So below we will take you through the steps to light and start your gas wall heater .
How To Turn On Your Gas Heater
1. Find the pilot light
To begin you will need to locate the pilot light for your specific heater . In many cases the pilot light will be located right behind the heater vent or main panel.
For other more complicated cases there may be a cover over the burner once you take off the front panel. In this case you’ll need to remove that cover in order to access the pilot light.
With the cover removed you can now follow the main gas pipe to where the pilot light is located. In most cases, if you’re having a hard time trying to find the pilot light you just need to follow the gas line and that will take you to the pilot light .
On some models the ignitor is on the outside of the unit, in this case you do not need to find the pilot light. Just turn the thermostat on the outside to “pilot” and click the ignitor until it lights.
2. Igniting the pilot light
On most newer gas wall heaters there will be an electric igniter to make the process easier . Before you use the ignition, place the dial near the pilot light in the “pilot” position. This may also be called “light” on some models.
There will generally be 3 positions on these dials. They will be:
- Pilot
- On
- Off
With the gas dial in the correct position, push down the dial and click the ignitor. You may need to press the ignitor several times to ignite the pilot light. This is especially true with older units.
Once the pilot light starts, continue to hold down the dial for at least 30 seconds otherwise the pilot light will just go out again.
On some older models there will not be an electric ignitor. For those, follow the same process as before but as you are holding down the dial use a match or lighter to ignite the pilot light. Just follow the supply line from the dial to the pilot light that needs to be lit.
3. Adjust the thermostat.
With the pilot light lit, now set the thermostat back to the desired temperature if it was being held in the “pilot” position. If you were holding down a dial near the pilot light inside the heater, then return it to the “on” position.
4. Replace any covers
If it was necessary to remove any covers to access the pilot light or ignitor, replace those and make sure they are secure to complete the process.
You may want to leave the covers off for a few minutes just to make sure everything works properly and stays lit.
How To Turn On A Gas Heater FAQ
Where is the pilot light on my gas heater?
The pilot light will be located behind the main panel. There may also be a lower panel that hinges down to give you easy access to the pilot light.
There will almost always be a round dial near the pilot light that you have to press in order to start the flow of gas. Generally, this must be turned to the “pilot” position then held down as you light the pilot light.
Why does my pilot light keep going out?
The most likely cause of this is a bad thermocouple. As this device ages or gets dirty, it starts to malfunction and the result is the pilot light keeps going out.
The thermocouple produces a tiny amount of electricity when the flame is present. If it malfunctions, it can cut off the gas thinking the pilot light has gone out.
If your pilot light has only gone out once and you were able to relight it, it may have just been due to a draft or other issue that does not require any service or repair.
If the pilot keeps going out over and over again, you most likely need to have the thermocouple serviced.
Will gas still flow if the pilot light goes out?
With most newer gas heaters, if there is no pilot light the unit will detect this and turn off the supply of gas to the burner.
A device inside the unit checks for the heat from the pilot light. If the heat from the pilot light is not present, the device cuts gas to the burner.
If you ever smell gas coming from the heater, turn it off immediately and leave the house. Then call a professional or your local gas company.
Pilot light goes out right after being lit
This could be due to not pressing the dial in long enough after lighting the pilot light. Make sure to hold the dial for at least 30 seconds after the pilot light ignites.
This is especially true on older models. On newer models you can sometimes get away with holding it down for a shorter amount of time.
Always remember to return the dial to the “on” position after lighting. If not, that’s another reason the pilot light may quickly turn off.
Final Thoughts On Turning On Your Gas Heater
Turning on your gas heater should be an easy DIY task for most people. By removing the front panel and locating the pilot light and regulator dial, you should be able to easily complete the process from there.
Follow the simple instructions above and you should have no problem turning on your gas heater this winter.