Do All Furnaces Have A Pilot Light. Get your heater s pilot light lit in less than 2 minutes. A modern gas furnace usually has an electronic spark generator to ignite the gas when the thermostat calls for heat. Up until recent history pilot lights were used in nearly every furnace to ignite the burners when a heating cycle begins.
When the thermostat signals the need for heat an electric system creates a spark that causes the pilot to come on and then the pilot. Although today s standard electric furnace uses a hot surface ignition older models often use an intermittent pilot to ignite heat.
Newer gas furnaces since about 2010 do not have a traditional pilot light that burns all the time.
It requires a pilot light to be lit 24 7. When the main burner extinguishes the pilot light continues burning. Instead they use electronic ignition systems that light only as needed. If the pilot light goes out the furnace or water heater will not work.
