How to Adjust a Central Heating Pilot Light

If your pilot light won't stay lit or if it keeps going out, you should make sure that your flame is properly lighting your central heating system. You want to check or adjust your central heating pilot light from time to time to make sure your heater is burning gas efficiently, inexpensively, and safely. Here is how to adjust a central heating pilot light.

Screwdriver

Instructions

- 1
  Take the front panel off your central heating unit. Do this by unscrewing the screws holding it in place.
- 2
  Look to see if the flame on your central heating system is lit and whether it is lapping over the end of your thermocouple. If you don't have a pilot light, you might have a defective thermocouple or a dead transformer.
- 3
  Remove the cap covering your pilot adjusting screw on your pilot light. This is a fairly simple process. Not all pilots will have caps.
- 4
  Turn the screw counter-clockwise to increase the flame or clockwise to decrease the flame. This will allow you to adjust the control of your flame.
- 5
  Look to see whether your pilot light flame envelops the thermocouple bulb by at least one-half inch. The pilot light flame should also be dark blue with a slight bit of yellow at the tip.
- 6
  If your pilot light has too much yellow in the flame, your pilot light flame may have a fuel-line obstruction. In this case, you should call a gas service technician.
- 7
  When you are done adjusting your central heating pilot light, replace the cap on your pilot's screw.

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