If your older furnace runs on a standing pilot light and it has gone out, here is what to check safely, what not to touch, and when to call a licensed technician.
Likely causes
In rough order of how often we see them:
- A draft or a dirty pilot orifice blowing or starving the flame.
- A failing thermocouple that no longer holds the gas valve open.
- A weak or fouled pilot assembly.
- A gas-supply issue, or a closed gas valve.
- A safety lockout after repeated failed lights.
- An aging system where the pilot is just the first sign of bigger wear.
Safe checks you can do first
Before booking a visit, rule out the simple things: confirm the thermostat is on and set to heat (fresh batteries help), check that the breaker and the furnace power switch are on, and inspect the air filter — a clogged filter is behind a surprising share of breakdowns. On a high-efficiency unit, a quick look at the condensate drain can save a call. Reset the system once if it has locked out.
When to call a licensed technician
If you smell gas at any point, do not try to relight — leave the home and call your gas utility or 911 from outside first. Pilot, thermocouple, and gas-valve work is for a licensed technician. If the pilot will not stay lit after one careful attempt following the unit’s instructions, stop and call.
What a repair visit actually involves
When a technician arrives, the first job is a real diagnosis — measuring, testing components, and reading any fault history rather than swapping parts and hoping. Once the actual cause is clear, you get an itemised quote before anything is replaced. Most common faults are a same-visit fix; the honest exception is a unit so old or worn that a repair is throwing good money after bad — and we will say so plainly rather than keep selling you parts.
Stopping it from happening again
Most repeat faults trace back to one of two things: a root cause that got patched instead of fixed, or maintenance that quietly fell behind. Once your furnace is running again, an on-schedule filter and one professional tune-up a year are the cheapest insurance against the same call next season. Our maintenance plans make the annual part automatic, and this guide explains how often different systems really need attention.
What to expect when you book
The process is simple and transparent. We start with a few questions to understand what you are seeing and find a visit time that suits you. On site, a licensed technician diagnoses the real cause rather than guessing, then explains it in plain language. You get a clear, itemised quote before any work starts, and we only proceed once you say yes. No surprise line items, and no pressure to add things you do not need.
Talk to a licensed local HVAC team in Greater Vancouver.
Straight answers, fair pricing, and no pressure to buy what you don’t need.
Why homeowners call HeatLand
HeatLand is a local heating and cooling company based in Burnaby, serving Greater Vancouver and the wider Lower Mainland. We diagnose before we quote, we explain what we find in plain language, and we will tell you honestly when a repair makes more sense than a replacement — or the other way around. There is no commission-driven upsell here.
Frequently asked questions
My pilot won’t stay lit — what’s wrong?
Most often a failing thermocouple, which is the sensor that tells the gas valve the pilot is burning. When it weakens, the valve shuts the gas off as a safety. It is a common, fixable repair.
Is it safe to keep trying to relight it?
One careful attempt following the unit’s printed instructions is fine. If it will not hold, or you smell gas, stop and call — repeated attempts can release unburned gas.
Should I just replace an old pilot-light furnace?
Not necessarily, but standing-pilot units are older, and we will tell you honestly whether a repair or a modern high-efficiency replacement is the better value.
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