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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. If you have a natural or propane gas water heater, chances are the pilot has gone out. If you decide to just turn your thermostat to “pilot” you won’t need to do this step. Turn Off Gas to Hot Water Heater. If the pilot light doesn’t relight or goes out immediately after relighting, you may have a bad thermocouple. The exact look of the buttons on new style tanks may vary, but many have a red igniter button set a few inches away from the temperature and regulator valves. Mr. Rooter is a registered trademark of Mr. Rooter LLC Copyright © 2021 Mr. Rooter, All rights reserved. You can go a little longer, but usually not shorter. If this doesn’t take care of the problem, you can get a new thermocouple at any hardware store for under $15. Gas heaters, whether they warm up air or water in a home, rely on a pilot light to trigger the flame of the actual heater. References. In this way, it may cause more damages to your home by damaging hot water heater and nearby things. The most common issue that leads to repeated pilot outages is a dirty or bent thermocouple, which is a small copper wire and rod that senses the flame and automatically turns the gas off when it detects a flame outage. Leave the area of the water heater and call your gas company immediately; they will tell you how to proceed. If it is, turn the gas valve back to “On” and set the temperature to your desired setting. This will be located under the gas valve; some water heaters just have an open gap instead where you can see the pilot light burner. If you have a newer water heater, it is possible that your panel is not removable and that you view your pilot light through glass. 2. While having your heater’s instruction manual around is handy, it’s not entirely necessary, as most gas water heaters require a similar procedure for relighting the pilot light. Allow the water heater to sit for a minimum of one hour without using it, and then turn on the faucet closest to the water heater. You will probably need to replace it. The main sign that a pilot light is out is one that everyone dreads: The water won’t get hot. This RV water heater uses an automatic direct-spark gas pilot and an internal electric heating element to get hot water ready fast. Contact a supplier or even the company that manufactured your water heater. Obstructed Thermocouple. Thank you!". wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. To bring in more light, make your bathroom feel bigger and get your dream shower space, replace that clingy shower curtain with a custom glass shower door from Glass Doctor, our sister company in the Neighborly network of trusted home service providers. Turn the gas knob to “On,” and listen for the distinct “whump” or whooshing noise of the main burner igniting. If your hot water heater is no longer providing hot water and the tank is electric-powered, check the fuse at the breaker and make sure it hasn’t flipped. You’ll want to watch it as you work. Hot water is only part of a luxurious shower experience. What should I do if the pilot light will not stay lit? Caution: Be sure to keep your head away from the burner area when turning knob to "on". Low gas pressure or a malfunctioning gas valve may also be to blame if this process doesn’t work. ", to teach me. Recovers up to 20 gallons of water per hour. Flip the pilot light switch to “Pilot” if you have a gas water heater. The water heater pilot light is a small flame that ignites the gas burner on your water heater. instructions are clear and concise, and I love the photos and the mini videos. Natural gas is odorless by nature, but gas companies add a substance called mercaptan to it to make it detectable to humans. Open the door/cover over the pilot light access. Take your old one so you get the proper length. Typically, the main difference between a modern heater and these instructions is that newer models have an electric igniter (click a button and it makes a spark) to light the pilot. % of people told us that this article helped them. What do I do? While still holding the gas down, light that pilot. Then release it slowly, and make sure the light is still lit. Try to ask someone for help in advance so that you don’t get halfway through the process, then have to stop because you are unable to see what you’re doing. If it’s bent and isn’t near the burner, you can simply shut off the gas, move it over and try lighting the pilot again. It's important to follow the instructions on your water heater; instructions vary from make and model. Don’t worry: in most cases, you can relight a pilot without calling in a professional, and you’ll have hot water again in a few hours’ time. The burner is usually easy to just slide out. Mr. Rooter is a registered trademark of Mr. Rooter LLC. 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