Now that the temperatures outside are getting warmer, you’re likely not using your heating system all that often. Start thinking about shutting your furnace down for its “off-season.” Many homeowners understand the importance of pre-winter maintenance to get their heating systems ready to handle the worst of the cold weather, but they don’t realize how important it can be to prepare their heating systems for the months when it won’t be in use.

What should I do with my furnace in the summer?

You may think that your furnace isn’t using any energy when you’ve flipped your thermostat setting to “Off” or “Cool.” However, if you have a heating system that runs on natural gas, the pilot light is constantly lit, even during the summer months. While this doesn’t consume a ton of energy, the amount can add up, especially in older units that aren’t as efficient.

Additionally, your natural gas furnace has a thermocouple installed that consumes electricity when the system isn’t running. The job of the thermocouple is to identify when the pilot light is burning. If the light is out, the thermocouple sends a signal to shut natural gas flow off. This is a safety mechanism used to prevent a buildup of gas.

To save on your energy bills, contact a professional heating technician to come and shut off gas flow to your furnace’s pilot light for the summer season. When cooler weather arrives again in the early fall, contact the heating expert again to re-ignite the pilot light for you. (Since this device makes use of natural gas, it’s best to let the pros handle turning it on/off.)

Shutting the pilot light off in the summer can also make your home safer — here’s how!

In addition to saving on your energy bills, shutting off the gas flow to your pilot light could also help create a safer environment for your family. That’s because even when the unit isn’t cycling on/off to heat your home, there is a constant flow of natural gas when the pilot light is lit. During the summer, when you may not be as conscious of your furnace’s condition, you may not notice if there is an issue with the system which could lead to a natural gas leak or combustion issue.

Important: If you smell natural gas in your home, leave immediately. Do not operate anything that could cause a spark, including lights, cell phones, flashlights, and appliances. From a safe location, call 911 and your local utility, which will dispatch a crew to check on the source of the odor and make the area safe.

Heating repair and maintenance professionals

If you are looking for an experienced heating company to assist with shutting your pilot light off to your natural gas furnace, Oncourse Home Solutions can help. We have a network of skilled, pre-qualified, experienced heating technicians who will be able to assist you and address any questions or concerns you may have.

We offer affordable Heating Repair and Heating Maintenance Plans to help you keep your furnace in tip-top shape during the heating season — and the “off-season.”