Will gas shut off if pilot light goes out?

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asked Oct 13, 2018 in Maintenance/Repairs by JamesWalla (450 points)
Will gas shut off if pilot light goes out?

If the pilot light goes out on a natural gas furnace does the gas to the furnace shut off?

1 Answer

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answered Oct 13, 2018 by Essmann (42,860 points)
Yes if a pilot light goes out on a natural gas furnace or other natural gas appliance the gas should shut off.

That's the purpose of the Thermocouple.

The thermocouple in the furnace is a safety device that detects the heat from the pilot light and then shuts the gas off to the pilot should the pilot light flame go out.

This is to prevent gas buildup in the furnace and to prevent an explosion.

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