Gas Hot Water Heater Pilot Light Out

Gas heater pilot light troubleshooting.

Gas hot water heater pilot light out.

Usually the first warning. 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. It is common on fireplaces and older cheaper furnaces and water heaters. Tank type gas water heaters use a pilot light to ignite the gas burner when the water in the tank needs to be heated.

A button is pushed to temporarily supply gas to the pilot light. The pilot light in your hot water heater does more than simply ignite the gas. A pilot light is always burning while using a small amount of gas either a water heater is running or not. The pilot orifice may be full of dirt.

Without it the water heater won t be able to maintain internal temperatures allowing the water to cool off. Nearly all gas water heaters with pilot lights are lit the same way. A weaker flame won t envelop the thermocouple properly. The main control valve is responsible for regulating the heater s gas and water pressure.

When the thermocouple senses a lit pilot it leaves the main gas valve open. If the pilot light is out or isn t burning hot enough it closes the valve cutting off gas flow so it won t build up inside your house. A pilot light is a small device that is designed to provide the flame and light the gas coming out of the gas valve and main burner. If it senses that the pilot light has gone out the thermocouple shuts off the gas supply to the flame in order to prevent safety issues with your water heater.

It s the soul of your water heater. Find this sensor near the tip of the pilot flame. The pilot light is supposed to be a strong blue cone not a weak yellow flame. Cleaning out the pilot orifice means disassembling the pilot and clearing out the debris using a needle or compressed air.

If the gas is lit it fully opens the main valve to provide a steady supply of gas. Your thermocouple is responsible for sensing when your pilot light is lit. If you have a natural or propane gas water heater chances are the pilot has gone out. It starts the whole process by first supplying a small amount of gas to the pilot light.

Pilot light issues are some of the most common problems experienced with gas water heaters. How to light the pilot for a gas hot water heater. When the water heater pilot light goes out first try relighting it following the directions on the water heater label. Once the thermocouple is hot the button may be released and the pilot light will stay on.

Some of the most common reasons that water heater pilot lights go out include.