If you grew up around gas furnaces—or even just grew up around people who talk about furnaces—you’ve probably heard the phrase “pilot light” tossed around like it’s a universal heating component. Heat goes out? “Check the pilot light.” Furnace acting weird? “Probably the pilot.” No heat at all? “Pilot’s out.”
So when homeowners with an all-electric setup start Googling questions like does an electric furnace have a pilot light or do electric furnaces have pilot lights, I get it. The question makes sense if you’re used to gas heat or you’re new to electric systems.
But here’s the short answer up front, before we go deep:
No—an electric furnace does not have a pilot light. Ever.
And if your system is built around a Goodman MBVK air handler with electric heat, there is no flame, no ignition, no pilot, and no gas involved anywhere in that cabinet.
Now let’s slow that down and unpack why—because understanding how electric furnaces work will save you a lot of stress, unnecessary service calls, and “well my uncle said…” conversations.
Why people keep asking about pilot lights on electric furnaces
The internet is full of half-answers, outdated advice, and gas-furnace logic applied to electric equipment. Most homeowners asking do electric furnaces have pilot lights fall into one of three camps:
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They previously had a gas furnace
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Their heat stopped working and they’re searching for a quick fix
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They’ve been told “it’s probably the pilot” by someone who hasn’t seen the system
All of that makes sense. But electric heat works on an entirely different principle than combustion-based heating.
So before we even talk about the Goodman MBVK specifically, let’s kill the pilot-light myth at the root.
What a pilot light actually is (and why electric furnaces don’t need one)
A pilot light exists for exactly one reason: to ignite fuel.
In older gas furnaces, a small flame (the pilot) stayed lit all the time so that when the furnace needed heat, that flame could ignite the main burners. Modern gas furnaces replaced standing pilots with electronic ignition, but the core idea is the same—there is fuel, and that fuel must be ignited.
An electric furnace has:
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No fuel
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No combustion
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No flame
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No ignition process
Instead, electric furnaces generate heat by passing electricity through resistance heating elements, very similar in concept to:
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an electric oven,
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a toaster,
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or a space heater (just much larger and controlled).
Because nothing is being burned, there is nothing to ignite—and therefore nothing that would require a pilot light.
That’s why the answer to does an electric furnace have a pilot light is always no, regardless of brand, size, or age.
Where the Goodman MBVK fits into this conversation
Now let’s talk specifically about the Goodman MBVK.
The Goodman MBVK is technically an air handler, not a furnace cabinet in the traditional gas sense. But when paired with an electric heat kit, it functions as what homeowners reasonably call an electric furnace.
This setup is extremely common in:
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all-electric homes,
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homes with heat pumps,
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regions without natural gas service,
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and newer construction focused on electrification.
The MBVK cabinet houses:
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the blower assembly,
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the control board,
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the evaporator coil (for cooling),
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and, when installed, the electric resistance heat strips.
Goodman’s own documentation explains that when electric heat kits are installed, the MBVK operates as an electric heating appliance—without combustion. That design philosophy is consistent across Goodman’s air handler lineup. You can see how Goodman positions the MBVK series directly on their official product overview page. (Goodman MBVK Series overview)
And because there is no gas train and no burner assembly, there is no place—and no need—for a pilot light.
So why does my electric furnace act like something’s “not lighting”?
This is where confusion really kicks in.
Homeowners often ask do electric furnaces have pilot lights because the system:
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doesn’t heat,
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heats inconsistently,
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or suddenly stopped producing warm air.
When that happens, people instinctively search for something familiar—a pilot, a flame, a reset button tied to ignition.
But electric furnaces fail in different ways than gas furnaces.
Here are the most common electric-heat issues that feel like a pilot problem, even though no pilot exists.
Issue #1: Breaker tripped (the electric version of “no fuel”)
Electric furnaces draw a lot of power. A Goodman MBVK with electric heat strips may have:
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a blower circuit,
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one or more heat strip circuits,
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and sometimes auxiliary or staged heating breakers.
If a breaker trips, the system may:
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run the blower but not heat,
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partially heat (some strips working, others not),
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or not run at all.
To a homeowner, that looks like “the furnace won’t fire.” But in reality, electricity simply isn’t reaching the heating elements.
Translation: no pilot light to relight—just power that needs to be restored and a cause that needs to be addressed.
Issue #2: High-limit switch opening (safety doing its job)
Electric furnaces are protected by multiple safety switches. One of the most important is the high-temperature limit.
If airflow is restricted due to:
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a dirty filter,
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blocked return,
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closed supply registers,
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or incorrect blower speed,
the heating elements can overheat. When that happens, the limit switch opens and cuts power to the heat strips.
The blower may continue to run, so you feel air—but it’s not warm.
That moment is when people ask:
“Does an electric furnace have a pilot light? Because it feels like it went out.”
What actually happened is safety intervention—not ignition failure.
Issue #3: Heat strip staging or sequencer problems
Electric heat doesn’t usually come on all at once. It’s staged using:
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sequencers,
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relays,
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or electronic controls.
If one stage fails, you might get:
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weak heat,
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delayed heat,
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or heat that comes and goes.
Again, this mimics the symptom of a pilot problem without any combustion involved.
Issue #4: Thermostat misunderstanding (especially with heat pumps)
Many Goodman MBVK systems are paired with heat pumps. In those cases:
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the heat pump runs first,
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electric heat strips act as auxiliary or emergency heat.
If the thermostat is calling for heat pump operation and the outdoor unit isn’t performing well, the air can feel lukewarm or even cool.
That’s when homeowners start asking does an electric furnace have a pilot light—because the heat doesn’t feel “furnace hot.”
But heat pumps are designed to deliver warm air, not scorching air. The system may be operating exactly as intended.
The U.S. Department of Energy explains this difference well when describing electric resistance heating versus heat pump heating behavior. (DOE explanation of electric resistance heating)
Let’s be very clear: electric furnaces have zero combustion components
A Goodman MBVK with electric heat has:
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no burners,
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no gas valve,
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no ignition control,
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no flue,
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no combustion air intake,
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no carbon monoxide production.
That’s one of the reasons electric systems are often chosen for safety, simplicity, and compatibility with modern building codes.
And it’s also why searching do electric furnaces have pilot lights will always lead to the same conclusion—no matter how many forums say otherwise.
What does an electric furnace have instead of a pilot light?
If we’re being fair, the pilot light question comes from a desire to understand how the system knows when to heat. In electric systems, that role is filled by:
1. Control boards
The MBVK uses electronic controls to manage:
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blower timing,
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heat strip staging,
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safety monitoring,
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and communication with the thermostat (in compatible setups).
2. Relays and sequencers
These components energize heating elements safely and in sequence, preventing massive inrush current and overheating.
3. Safety switches
High limits, fusible links, and thermal cutoffs protect the system if airflow or electrical conditions go out of range.
These components don’t glow or flame, so there’s nothing visual to “check,” which can feel uncomfortable if you’re used to seeing a pilot flame.
Why older advice keeps confusing people
A lot of HVAC advice floating around is:
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gas-centric,
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decades old,
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or written for “furnaces” as a general concept.
That’s why you’ll still see blog posts and forum answers suggesting:
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relighting pilots,
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cleaning flame sensors,
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checking igniters—
even when someone explicitly says they have an electric furnace.
This is especially common when people don’t realize that the Goodman MBVK is an air handler with electric heat, not a gas furnace cabinet.
If you want to see how Goodman categorizes this equipment in real-world installs, their MBVK installation literature spells out electric heat kit integration clearly. (Goodman MBVK installation manual)
What to check instead of a pilot light on an MBVK electric furnace
If your heat isn’t working and you’re tempted to search does an electric furnace have a pilot light, here’s a better checklist.
Step 1: Check breakers
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Look for multiple HVAC-related breakers.
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Reset once—don’t keep flipping if it trips again.
Step 2: Replace the air filter
A clogged filter causes more electric heat issues than almost anything else.
Step 3: Verify thermostat settings
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System set to HEAT.
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Fan set to AUTO (unless intentionally ON).
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For heat pump systems, understand whether AUX or EM heat is engaged.
Step 4: Listen and observe
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Blower running but no heat? Likely power or limit issue.
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Heat comes on briefly then shuts off? Airflow or staging problem.
Step 5: Stop looking for flames
Because there aren’t any.
One last myth to put to bed
Some people assume that older electric furnaces might have had pilot lights.
They didn’t.
Pilot lights are tied to combustion technology, not era. Electric furnaces—old or new—have always been flame-free.
If you ever see a flame, gas line, or pilot in a system, it is not an electric furnace.
The bottom line
Let’s answer the keywords plainly, so there’s no confusion:
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Does an electric furnace have a pilot light?
No. -
Do electric furnaces have pilot lights?
Also no. Never have.
If your Goodman MBVK electric furnace isn’t heating, the solution isn’t relighting anything—it’s identifying electrical, airflow, control, or staging issues that are unique to electric heat systems.
Once you understand that difference, troubleshooting gets clearer, service calls get more productive, and you stop chasing problems that don’t exist.
And honestly? That alone puts you ahead of half the internet.
