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glynchny

NO HEAT...I Can't afford a new furnace...oe even the service call

Old RUUD furnace- pilot light not lighting! Changed to a new thermocouple (just like I did 2 yrs ago) and it's not lighting at all. Tried lighting many times holding pilot button for minutes at a time. When turned to Fan, it comes right on.

Tried knocking the gas valve (piece next to thermocouple) to lossen anything but that was it.

It's freezing here in CO- anything else to try ???

Comments (9)

  • PRO
    Lynch Home Services
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    ALSO...when I push "pilot" there is no gas sound, shoyuld there be ?? And I read that if chimney is blocked, this has been the cause for some people...what does that have to do with furnace ???

  • krantzcool
    16 years ago

    what you need to do is take the main gas line loose at the furnace and purge the gas line. you do not want to do this long. you want to put your nose on the end of the gas line. as soon as you smell gas then you need to hook the line back up. you need to leak check it to make sure you dont have a leak. after you purge the line you need to wait atleast 5 minutes before you try to relight it if you have lp gas you need to wait longer make sure when you go to light it you do not smell any gas at all. this is dangerous so be careful!!!

  • zl700
    16 years ago

    That's sound advice for death

  • PRO
    Lynch Home Services
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks krantzcool, but I'm a little confused! H.D. plumber told me to disconnect that pilot "tube" from the gas valve and press down on the pilot and if I smell or hear gas, then there's likely a problem w/ a clogged tube? If I don't smell gas, than there's likely a problem w/ the gas valve!
    Well, I didn't hear or smell any gas at all from that spot on the gas valve, so needless to say, when I hooked it all back up- nothing still! Purge the gas line, leak check ? I'm just a homeowner who want's heat and the "for sale" sign in front of my house in 3 weeks!! Is there anything else I can try before a tech comes on Mon...$$$ ?? Thanks!

  • ckr74
    16 years ago

    You need someone that is qualified to repair your furnace. Not worth putting yourself and others in danger. Get a electric space heater and wait for tech.

  • mikenew
    16 years ago

    If you have gas going to the valve and no gas coming from the pilot with the tube off and the button depressed then there is a problem with your valve and you can decide if you want to try to buy a valve which will be difficult for you but not impossible if you have a small local hardware store or wait for the tech which will probably be your best bet

    Here is a link that might be useful: Air Conditioning and Heating Repair Made Easy

  • PRO
    Lynch Home Services
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I don't even know if I have gas coming to the valve! I'm just gonna wait it out until Mon- I've used this guy before to help w/ humidifier. What I like about him is that he charges $60 service call (same on weekends-but holed up doing taxes this weekend) and then $20/qtr hr. That's very fair, if it only takes him 20 min to fix, I dont pay for a full hour. Approximately how long do you think it should take to replace the valve if that's the problem? Plus the original time to know for sure that it is the valve? Thanks guys- snowed last night- about 55 in the house all day!!!

  • Tinmantu
    16 years ago

    A new valve takes an hour or so (give or take) to change out...burners and pilot should be cleaned while the valve is out, and gas pressure set. IMO. If he uses a universal valve, may need to run longer pilot tubing as old Ruuds had just enough to get to the OEM valve. Universal valves run in the 100 dollar range here in these parts. Prices vary, depending on what part of the country you live.

  • vickmeister71247_yahoo_com
    12 years ago

    my dear friend owns a two family. The buiding is not in good shape. She lives on the second floor and I live on the first. She has two very old octypus furneses. She can't afford to have them taken out or replaced. She earns a modest income. My apartment has been empyt for 3 yrs. She hasn't been renting it out because she doesn't have the money to keep it up. I needed a place to live and she said I could stay in the apartment for a certain amount of money. The heating bills are enormous and uses half of her money paying these bills. Are their any grants or programs that can help her change over to more efficient systems.
    We live in Syracuse NY

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