What You Should Know About the Thermocouple in Your Furnace

To most homeowners, the furnace is just one more appliance whose inner workings are shrouded in mystery. Unfortunately, this means that many easily diagnosed problems are often overlooked. If you would like to improve your HVAC knowledge, read on. This article will discuss everything you should know about your furnace’s thermocouple.

Basic Idea

The furnace component known as the thermocouple has a vital role to play where safety is concerned. Its job is to control the flow of gas coming out of the pilot orifice. So long as the pilot remains lit, the thermocouple keeps the gas valve open. But if the flame should suddenly go out, the thermocouple shuts off the valve, thus preventing raw, dangerous gas from entering your home.

Thermocouple Problems

It’s important to know how to recognize the signs that your thermocouple may not be working correctly. The most common symptom is that your pilot light won’t seem to stay going, no matter how many times you relight it. This may be caused by either a thermocouple that has been jarred out of place, or one that has failed mechanically.

In the first case, the problem can often be solved by making an adjustment to the position of the thermocouple. You see, it needs to be close enough to the pilot flame that it receives an adequate amount of heat. This causes two pieces of metal near the tip of the thermocouple to generate an electrical impulse, thus keeping the gas valve open.

If repositioning the thermocouple still doesn’t fix the problem, and your pilot light continues to go out, chances are the thermocouple has become excessively worn with age. Here the best option is to replace it entirely. Fortunately, a new thermocouple isn’t too expensive.

If you have questions, reach out to a Miller Place NY heating expert to get their opinion or have them check out your system.