# pilot light gas consumption



## tonyg

just wondering if there are any accurate  figures on how  much (natural) gas a typical pilot light on a gas stove uses?  i have a large Jotul, and i regularly turn it off since i tend to be kind of cheap in the utilities department, but it would be a lot handier to leave it on.  i don't have a remote so i have to turn it on manually anyway.  but if it hardly amounts to much, maybe i'll just leave it on.  thanks for your help.....tonyg


----------



## R&D Guy

Tony, a pilot typically uses about 1,200 BTU's an hour.  Take a look at your last gas bill and I think you'll calculate it out to be about 5 to 6 dollars a month for 24-7 use.


----------



## tonyg

thanks......maybe i'll try leaving it on during the day only.     tonyg


----------



## R&D Guy

Dow N. Jones said:
			
		

> R&D;Guy said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Tony, a pilot typically uses about 1,200 BTU's an hour. Take a look at your last gas bill and I think you'll calculate it out to be about 5 to 6 dollars a month for 24-7 use.
> 
> 
> 
> 1000btu/hr pilot would consume a gallon of lp every 4 days? !
Click to expand...


Yikes, that's like $18 dollars a month for our propane friends. 

I better recalculate with current rates on my gas bill. You guys should check my math/rates. 

Looks like after all the little taxes and changes I'm paying $1.10 per therm for NG gas.

1,200 BTU is .012 therms an hour.
Multiply that times 24 hours a day, then times 30 days and you get 8.64 therms a month. 

Multiply 8.64 therms times $1.10 per therm and you get $9.51 cents a month. A few bucks more than my estimate.  Well I'm glad we did this.


----------



## Fire Bug

tonyg said:
			
		

> just wondering if there are any accurate  figures on how  much (natural) gas a typical pilot light on a gas stove uses?  i have a large Jotul, and i regularly turn it off since i tend to be kind of cheap in the utilities department, but it would be a lot handier to leave it on.  i don't have a remote so i have to turn it on manually anyway.  but if it hardly amounts to much, maybe i'll just leave it on.  thanks for your help.....tonyg



Hi Tony,
 I have been told by just about everyone I talked to that has anything to do with gas fireplaces, inserts, or stove,(dealer and installers) to always leave your pilot light burn even in the off season.
 By letting it burn it prevents rust and corrosion to it and the unit and also keeps various insects from making a home in your unit.
 I think it is worth the five or six dollars a month,(stated by R&D;Guy), to prevent this.

Thanks,
John


----------



## colebrookman

Fire Bug said:
			
		

> tonyg said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just wondering if there are any accurate figures on how much (natural) gas a typical pilot light on a gas stove uses? i have a large Jotul, and i regularly turn it off since i tend to be kind of cheap in the utilities department, but it would be a lot handier to leave it on. i don't have a remote so i have to turn it on manually anyway. but if it hardly amounts to much, maybe i'll just leave it on. thanks for your help.....tonyg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Tony,
> I have been told by just about everyone I talked to that has anything to do with gas fireplaces, inserts, or stove,(dealer and installers) to always leave your pilot light burn even in the off season.
> By letting it burn it prevents rust and corrosion to it and the unit and also keeps various insects from making a home in your unit.
> I think it is worth the five or six dollars a month,(stated by R&D;Guy), to prevent this.
> 
> Thanks,
> John
Click to expand...

I just read an article about a month ago that said leaving the pilot on in the summer actually increases rust problems. Seems the amount of btus put out is enough to cause condensation but not enough to dry it out. Sorry I can't remember the article location but maybe try Google.

Ed


----------



## webbie

During the winter, the pilot can help offset the cold which often comes from DV system pipes...or from fireplaces built in a chase or against the exterior of a home.

I think the 1200 BTU figure is for the multiple thermopile setups....a vent free or a unit that uses the older one thermocouple design would use less. I remember a figure of about 300 BTU for those, but that is off-the-cuff.


----------



## Fire Bug

colebrookman said:
			
		

> Fire Bug said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> tonyg said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> just wondering if there are any accurate figures on how much (natural) gas a typical pilot light on a gas stove uses? i have a large Jotul, and i regularly turn it off since i tend to be kind of cheap in the utilities department, but it would be a lot handier to leave it on. i don't have a remote so i have to turn it on manually anyway. but if it hardly amounts to much, maybe i'll just leave it on. thanks for your help.....tonyg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Tony,
> I have been told by just about everyone I talked to that has anything to do with gas fireplaces, inserts, or stove,(dealer and installers) to always leave your pilot light burn even in the off season.
> By letting it burn it prevents rust and corrosion to it and the unit and also keeps various insects from making a home in your unit.
> I think it is worth the five or six dollars a month,(stated by R&D;Guy), to prevent this.
> 
> Thanks,
> John
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I just read an article about a month ago that said leaving the pilot on in the summer actually increases rust problems. Seems the amount of btus put out is enough to cause condensation but not enough to dry it out. Sorry I can't remember the article location but maybe try Google.
> 
> Ed
Click to expand...


Hi Ed,(Forests & Rocks, LOL),
 I know where your coming from with the forests and rocks, especially those darn rocks!
 If this is the case than I would definitely say to turn your pilot of during the off season to save money and prevent the rust and corrosion which it was suppose to eliminate by letting burn during the off season.
 All I know when I was bying my insert and gas stove it was stessed to me to leave them burn to prevent the corrosion by the dealer, salesman, and technicians,and everyone else that I asked about this subject. But who knows new research could have produced new findings on this subject and if it is proven to be true I am all for saving money and turning it off during the off season but not the heating system.

Thanks,
John


----------



## stovetechri

i do service calls in the fall for $95 because people turn off their pilot and get spiders in the pilot orface.  I tell them it occurs less moisture with the pilot lit.


----------



## Redox

I've been shutting off pilot lights for years in the off season, but then again, I haven't owned a pilot light in years.   ;-) 

Chris


----------



## trafick

Hey tonyg,

I do the same thing.  For some reason when I look at the pilot light in the stove and it's been burning for a couple of days when the stove hasn't been used, it makes me shutter.  Usually when I'm not going to use the stove for awhile, or even a day or two, I'll shut off the pilot.  I do however let it burn for about 15 minutes before I start the stove to get a positive draft on the exhaust.  Don't know if this is right or wrong, it's just what I do.


----------

