So, being the good first-year homeowner, I called the trusty local A/C & heat company last month for their heat check. They checked it out, said I have an old system which needs replacement, but wouldn't really worry about it until next Winter or even the one after (gee, talk about honest!!). Well, needless to say, this weekend I learned some cool stuff.
Anyway, being an old home with a standing pilot, I was concerned when we didn't get any heat after I cranked Old Bessy on. Well, it turns out that I probably, might have, possibly, slightly put the burner cover on too tight after the guy had left and cracked the pilot feed tube. Sure enough, I heard the slight hiss of gas, but couldn't get the thing lit. I took it off and went to the local U-Plumb-It.
In getting a replacement, I wanted a flex type tube. Couldn't do it, against code! Okay, well it didn't matter since the new aluminum tubing has a thinner diameter and thicker walls and is much more pliable without worry of crimping the tube. The old one was thin and flattened easily if bent too much/sharp. But you can easily straighten the new tube by using an adjustable wrench (the kind with the turning gear to open/close the jaw) and fitting it to a straight part and gradually twisting it back and forth over the bent part. It basically squeezes it back into shape. This is especially useful when trying to get your coupling on/off the tube.
Now I have my new tube. It's installed, the pilot lights, but doesn't stay lit!! %&*#@ What's the deal?! That's when I learned about the nifty thermocoupler. This device looks like a tube and is connected to the valve system and protrudes in front of the pilot. It converts the heat generated by the pilot into an electrical signal which tells the valve system, "Hey, the pilot is lit, keep the gas coming." Well, I guess I knocked it down a bit when I put the tube back in. I pushed it back to full extension in front of the pilot so I could see the flame actually hit it (what you want). And voila. Heat!! No more complaining wife, no more dog burrowing into me for warmth, and no more sleeping with your face freezing above the covers.
