Q My detached garage has a “granny flat” whose water is heated with a ceiling-hung gas unit, and the pilot flame often blows out when I open the garage door. Obviously, this is a nuisance. What’s the solution? I can’t always bring in tools, equipment and materials through the side door.

A First, have a heating contractor inspect the furnace. Yes, a pilot flame can easily be blown out by high wind, but it’s also possible that the pilot flame is weak or that the furnace needs a tune-up. A weak pilot flame can be caused by gas pressure that’s too high or too low, a dirty pilot-light orifice or just ordinary wear and tear – to name a few of the many causes. A quick visual check can confirm whether the flame has a light blue colour and a correct shape, which can range from that of a bullet to the form of a butterfly wing seen from above.

Ruling out a weak pilot, you might ask your heating and cooling contractor to install an aftermarket automatic relighter. This device produces a stream of ignition sparks until the pilot relights itself or the thermocouple cools to the point that the gas-control valve closes, shutting off gas flow to the appliance.