In the event of an electric power failure, is there any way to manually light the pilot for a gas steam boiler that has electronic ignition? If not, is a boiler with a standing pilot the safer choice in cold northern regions?
Either boiler will not work without power failure
it would be a waste of time because if there's no power the pump will not work so the system will shut down and you can not ignite it. if the boiler works on main pressure water and does not give you central heating then i would have thought you would have a pilot light. dont forget that the electrics also works the safety devices and thermostats. so still no i am afraid.
As a rule you cannot manually light an electronic ignition system. This is an intentional safety device. Nor should you ever bypass any safety device on any boiler. People who do tend to blow their boilers - and at times their buildings and selves - up. As far as your problem however; is it a problem of the power to the whole building going out? Or is it just the boiler? If its the whole building on cold nights, consider a generator to keep the heat on in an emergency. Standing pilots are inherently more dangerous in the event the valve does not shut in absence of flame and therefore room/area fills with gas. I believe all newer units only come with electronic ignition.
