Turn off your pilot light in summer if you won't use heat for several months, but only if your water heater or furnace manual says it is safe to do so
Most pilot lights can be turned off during warm months without damage to the appliance itself. The real question is whether the effort and risk are worth the small amount of gas you save. A pilot light burns roughly 400 to 600 BTU per hour year-round, which costs between $5 and $15 per month depending on your gas rate and the appliance. Over a three-month summer, that is $15 to $45 total. If you live where you genuinely do not need heat from June through August, turning it off makes sense. If you might need the furnace or water heater before fall, leave it running.
The catch is that not every pilot light is designed to be shut off and relit by a homeowner. Older furnaces and water heaters often have pilots that are difficult to relight without a technician. Newer models with electronic ignition are easier to restart. Before you turn anything off, check the manual for your specific model. If the manual does not mention shutting down the pilot, call the manufacturer or a local technician to ask whether it is safe.
Key Takeaways
- A pilot light costs roughly $5 to $15 per month to run, so turning it off for three months saves $15 to $45 total.
- You can only safely turn off a pilot light if your appliance manual explicitly permits it; some models are not designed for homeowner shutdown.
- Turning off the pilot light in summer makes sense only if you are certain you will not need heat or hot water until fall.
- Relighting a pilot light yourself is possible on newer appliances with electronic ignition, but older models often require a technician.
When the savings are worth the effort
The math favors turning off your pilot light only if you meet two conditions: your manual allows it, and you have a long, predictable warm season with no need for heating or hot water. In most of the continental United States, that means June through August at minimum. If you live in a climate where you might need the furnace in May or September, or if you take long showers year-round, the savings shrink below $20 and the hassle of relighting becomes the real cost.
Vacation homes and seasonal properties are the clearest case for shutting down the pilot. If you close the house for four months and nobody is there to shower or adjust the thermostat, turning off the pilot light is sensible. You also reduce the risk of a gas leak going unnoticed in an empty building. For a primary residence where someone is home most days, the savings rarely justify the work.
How to safely turn off and relight a pilot light
If your manual permits it, the shutdown process is straightforward. Locate the gas control knob on your furnace or water heater — it usually has three positions: "On," "Pilot," and "Off." Turn it to "Off" and wait five minutes to let any remaining gas dissipate. Do not attempt to relight it when ready. After five minutes, you can turn the knob back to "Pilot" when you are ready to restart in the fall.
Relighting depends on your appliance type. If your furnace or water heater has an electronic ignition button (usually red or black), turn the knob to "Pilot," hold the button down, and use a long lighter or match to ignite the pilot flame at the burner opening. Hold the button for 30 to 60 seconds after the flame appears, then release. If the flame stays lit, turn the knob to "On." If it goes out, wait five minutes and try again. If you have an older appliance without an ignition button, do not attempt this yourself — call a technician.
Before you turn the pilot back on in fall, check that the area around the burner is clean and dry. Dust or moisture can prevent ignition or cause the flame to burn incorrectly. If you cannot get the pilot to stay lit after two attempts, stop and call a professional. A pilot that will not light can indicate a gas line problem or a faulty thermocouple, both of which require service.
Risks of turning off the pilot light
The main risk is that you forget to turn it back on before cold weather arrives. An unlit pilot means no heat when you need it, and you may not realize the problem until the house is already cold. Set a calendar reminder for late August or early September to relight it before the first cool night.
A secondary risk is that the pilot light will not relight when you try. This usually happens because dust has settled in the burner opening or the thermocouple (the safety device that detects the flame) has shifted slightly. If relighting fails, you will need to call a technician, which costs $100 to $200. That erases your summer savings when ready. For this reason, turning off the pilot is most practical if you are comfortable doing basic troubleshooting or if you have a service plan that covers pilot light issues.
There is also a small risk of gas leaking into your home if the shutoff valve is not fully sealed. This is rare, but it is why you should never turn off the pilot light and then ignore the appliance for months. Check it once a month during the off-season to make sure no gas smell is present.
Alternatives to turning off the pilot light
If the hassle or risk feels too high, you have other options. Some thermostats allow you to set a minimum temperature — you can set it to 62 degrees and let the furnace run only if the house gets that cold. This uses less gas than running the pilot and heating continuously, and you do not have to relight anything in fall.
Another option is to leave the pilot on but lower the water heater temperature to 120 degrees for summer. This cuts the energy cost of the water heater without touching the pilot light itself. You can raise it back to 140 degrees in fall if you prefer hotter showers.
If you are renting, do not turn off the pilot light without asking your landlord or property manager first. Many leases require you to maintain the heating system in working order, and turning off the pilot could violate that clause. It is also possible the landlord will need to hire a technician to relight it, and you could be charged for the service.
What your manual should tell you
Before making any decision, find your appliance manual. If you still have the paper copy, look for a section titled "Shutting Down" or "Seasonal Maintenance." If you do not have the manual, search the manufacturer's website using your furnace or water heater model number (usually on a label on the side of the unit). Most manufacturers post PDFs for free.
The manual will tell you whether the pilot light can be shut off, how to do it safely, and what to watch for when you relight it. If the manual says "do not shut off the pilot," follow that instruction. If it is silent on the topic, contact the manufacturer directly before proceeding. A five-minute phone call is worth avoiding a $200 service call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off the pilot light damage my furnace or water heater?
No, turning off the pilot light will not damage the appliance if your manual permits it. The pilot light is designed to be shut off and relit. The risk is not to the appliance but to you — if you forget to relight it in fall, you will have no heat when you need it.
How much money will I actually save by turning off the pilot light?
A pilot light costs roughly $5 to $15 per month depending on your gas rate. Over three months, that is $15 to $45. If the effort of relighting it in fall takes more than an hour of your time, the hourly savings are very small.
Can I turn off the pilot light on a water heater but leave it on for the furnace?
Yes, if both appliances have separate pilot lights and both manuals permit shutdown. Many homes have one pilot for the furnace and a separate one for the water heater, so you can turn off one without affecting the other. Check each manual separately.
What should I do if the pilot light will not relight in the fall?
Wait five minutes and try again. If it still will not light after a second attempt, stop and call a technician. Do not keep trying, as repeated attempts can allow gas to build up. A professional can diagnose whether the problem is a dirty burner, a faulty thermocouple, or a gas line issue.
Is it safe to turn off the pilot light if I live in an apartment?
Check your lease first. Many rental agreements require tenants to maintain the heating system, and turning off the pilot could violate that clause. Ask your landlord or property manager before making any changes to the furnace or water heater.