Really stupid question here but necessary so you don't need to slam me OK ? I can't get my wall funace pilot light lit and the guy who installed it is coming. It is summer here but our mornings now are very very cool, unusual so I turn on the oven and open the door. Is that really expensive ? I only do it for like 1/2 hour ? I have called him and have also tried to light the pilot myself and could always do the onld one, but this one I don't understand and I am not about to blow myself up. I do not have any man to ask OK ? nor anyone else. just you folks thanks Please don't tell me to go stick my head in the oven and close it :)
2007-08-27 02:45:20 · 7 answers · asked by I Love Jesus 5 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
For less than $20 you can pick up an ceramic heater with a built-in fan --about 10"-12" tall and about 8" wide-- at any home improvement store.
It would easily warm ANY room you're in much more quickly/efficiently than a cooking oven and it's always a good thing to have in case of furnace failure... think about how uncomfortable you'd be if you needed heat more than just during a cool morning or two... ya' know?.
BTW, if you're oven cooks w/ gas, instead of electricity, do NOT use it as a heat source!
Using a gas range or oven for home heating can cause a build up of carbon monoxide (CO) inside your home... CO is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and death, and you'll never even know you're at risk until you succumb to it.
Stay safe... purchase a small electric heater and feel good knowing you've got a SAFE back-up heat source once your pilot light is fixed and your furnace is operational again.
Hope this helps,
TX Griff
2007-08-27 03:23:25 · answer #1 · answered by TX-Griff 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh boy, First off for anyone to suggest that any form of electric heat is more efficient in terms of dollars spent per btu of heat produced by gas is just flat out incorrect. That goes for any reigion in the U.S. And, if anyone can produce numbers to refute this I wish they would do so.
Second, I guess everyone that fires up there gas oven for cooking on Thanksgiving Day should all have there funeral arrangements made according to some of the answers here. Here is a strange bit of information for everyone. Gas ranges are an un-vented appliance; they are designed to run for extended periods of time indoors without killing people and without reducing the air quality to a dangerous level. With that said, they are not designed to operate as a heating device, nor are they designed to operate with the door left open for obvious safety reasons. But, yes believe it or not people, you can operate a gas oven in your home for extended periods of time and not die.
Third, it seems that any question regarding a gas appliance that comes up on here the first several answers are always “thermocouple” not to say that the thermocouple is not the issue. I will although say, I have been in the HVAC industry for many years, and I know that on a wall furnace one finds a clogged pilot orifice, pilot outage from wind, and dust build up on the pilot assembly just as often, if not more often as a bad thermocouple.
To answer the actual question of “Is it real expensive to heat with the oven?” Assuming that the oven is gas the answer would be no, although I would never suggest to anyone to use an oven as a heat source. Well, no more expensive than running your wall furnace. Now if the oven is electric you could find it pretty expensive.
2007-08-27 13:25:16 · answer #2 · answered by lpgnh3 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like the thermocouple has failed on your furnace. Don't panic, it is usually what goes out when the pilot won't stay lit. It's a cheap part and service call.
Because of the way furnaces are configured, they will use fuel more efficiently to heat your home than the oven. It is not recommended to try to heat a home with an oven, but in an emergency, I would do the same thing.
Good luck!
2007-08-27 09:54:00 · answer #3 · answered by Bare B 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Honey you are doing the right thing by getting someone that knows how to light your pilot you might want to let him show you what to do but be careful if you're not sure the next time. The use of your oven for that short period of time shouldn't be to expensive better than being cold. have a nice day
2007-08-27 10:13:23 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
i usually light the pilot lights myself. but, i dont want you to get hurt, if the guy is coming wait for him to get there. also it depends if you pay for heating separately, which would make it more expensive for someone on a tight budget. ask your repair guy and good luck. dont stick head in oven please.
2007-08-27 10:19:07 · answer #5 · answered by KARMA IS IT THOU? 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Using the oven for heating is a very bad idea! For more info on heating go to www.hvac-for-beginners.com
2007-08-27 11:00:13 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well if its working for you until you get it fixed more power to you. And you are wise not to monkey with it. I agree with the above the thermocouple is bad , but sometime the ignitor needs to have the carbon cleaned off. Good luck stay warm.
2007-08-27 10:15:39 · answer #7 · answered by mlk682 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋