Natwerk Designs

Do my small gas bathroom heaters have a pilot light?

I just moved into a home buit around the 60s or so. Both bathrooms have small natural gas heaters in the wall. I lit one and it didn't seem to have a pilot light that lit. I took the panel off and didn't see one. How can I know for sure it doesn't have one somewhere?

Public Comments

1. You need to ask a plumber to check since we cannot even see your heaters.
2. It is not so much the age of the house but the age of the heaters. If they are 1980s vintage or newer there is a good chance that they are spark-ignited or glow-bar ignited. Do they have electric power to them? Also, look at the burner and see if there is any indication of a pilot nozzle or glow-bar. Some links below. First, a typical glowbar, then a typical spark ignitor. But, and for the record, call your gas utility to be sure. They will send a technician (at no cost) to check your appliances and verify their safe operation - in point of fact, they very much want to do this in cases such as yours. At the same time, ask them for an energy audit (which they will also do for free in most cases). This will give you a snapshot of energy use in your house, and where you may be wasting energy and/or have opportunities to improve efficiency. Good luck with it.
3. call you local gas utility they are happy to help and will ususally come to inspect all you gas appliances And usually at little or no cost to youy