Relight your Appliances

Pilot Light or Electronic Ignition

You may need to relight your natural gas appliances after a disruption in service. It’s important to know which of your appliances have a pilot light. Many furnaces, garage heaters, ranges, gas clothes dryers, and newer water heaters have electronic ignition, not a pilot light, and will not need to be relit.

Instructions

For gas burning appliances with a pilot light, review these instructions before you start:

Switch the power off to any gas-burning appliances with a fan (i.e. your furnace) and turn the water temperature dial on your water heater to summer or vacation mode, as applicable.
Turn all appliance gas valves to the off position.
Check to make sure the main gas valve (by the gas meter) is in the open position. If it is in the closed position, use a crescent wrench to open it (see below).
If the regulator does not have a plunger, continue to step 4.
If the regulator has a plunger, remove the cap and pull the plunger out about one inch (the plunger should stay in its “pulled out” position), then continue to step 4.
Check around all gas burning equipment and gas piping. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the appliance valve or the main gas valve and contact us. We will send a technician to inspect your piping and appliances.
Relight appliances according to the manufacturer’s instructions in the appliance manual or as found on the appliance itself.

There are many makes and models of furnaces and hot water heaters; these steps are for the most common. If you require assistance, contact us and one of our technicians will help you.