When you聽walk聽into the shower, you聽count on the water to聽get nice and hot聽fast. If聽an icy聽shower聽greets you instead, you know something’s聽amiss. The typical聽reason聽behind this聽uncomfortable,聽chilly聽surprise is a water heater pilot light that’s gone out.
Don’t worry—relighting聽a water heater聽pilot doesn’t require聽specialized skills. Follow the聽easy, step-by-step聽strategies聽from the pros at聽天美传媒聽outlined聽below, and you’ll soon be back to聽delighting in聽those hot showers.
Ways You Can Easily聽Light a Water Heater Pilot Light
First, read the user’s manual聽for聽your water heater model. Instructions聽vary, and you should聽see聽all the details聽you need in the manual. If聽you don't have聽the聽paper聽copy that came with the聽installation, look up the model number online to聽pull up聽a digital version.聽Nevertheless, the following聽strategies聽should apply for聽most聽gas water heaters:
- Find聽the gas shut-off valve, which聽you'll usually find聽plainly聽marked on the lower front part of your water heater.聽Switch聽this knob to the “Off” position and wait for five to 10 minutes to聽allow聽any聽residual聽gas to dissipate.
- Open the pilot light access cover or door, which is聽commonly聽found聽beneath聽the gas valve.聽Sometimes, there isn’t a door; instead, you聽may聽see the pilot light burner聽if you look in聽a small opening.
- Get聽a flashlight or headlamp.聽Next, peer into the pilot light access and聽locate聽two small gas tubes leading to the burner.聽Monitor聽this聽area聽as you聽proceed聽with lighting the water heater pilot.
- Switch聽the gas knob to “Pilot.” This聽action聽lets the gas flow,聽readying聽the pilot light for ignition. Some units have a聽designated聽red button for pilot mode, which you should press and hold.
- Relight聽the pilot light while still holding down the gas knob or button.聽Your home's聽water heater聽could聽have an igniter button,聽often聽red or black. If聽not, you’ll need a long lighter to light the pilot聽manually.
- Push聽down the gas knob or button for聽approximately聽30 to 60 seconds after the flame聽catches.聽Ensure聽the flame聽stays聽lit.
- Rotate聽the gas knob to “On.” You should hear a whump or whoosh sound as the main burner聽fires up聽and your water heater聽sparks聽back to life.
- Replace the access cover or door. Give your water heater聽about聽20 to 60 minutes to聽reheat聽the water, and you’ll be聽ready聽to enjoy that hot shower!
A聽Pilot Light Won’t Stay Lit?
Needing to relight the pilot聽every once in a while聽is usually not a major聽cause for concern.聽Unfortunately, there could be a聽more severe聽underlying issue if the water heater pilot light聽refuses to聽stay lit. Some聽common聽reasons behind this issue聽are:
- Damaged聽thermocouple: The thermocouple is an automatic safety shut-off,聽shutting off聽gas flow when the pilot light聽is out. If this聽component聽is misaligned, dirty or damaged, you may face frequent pilot light聽issues.聽Reposition聽the thermocouple聽just a tiny bit聽and try lighting the pilot聽once more. If that doesn’t聽work, you聽could possibly聽need to clean it. And if that proves聽ineffective, it聽could聽be necessary to replace the thermocouple,聽an easy聽task for a聽professional聽technician.
- Dirty pilot opening: If your pilot light聽produces聽a yellow flame, it’s聽likely聽due to a dirty pilot opening. This can聽restrict聽the thermocouple’s聽operation,聽causing聽pilot light instability.
- Weak or聽faulty聽gas regulator:聽Issues聽with this component聽might聽lead to an inadequate gas supply needed to maintain the pilot light. If聽several聽gas appliances in your聽dwelling聽have similar聽issues,聽check聽the regulator.
- Breezy聽conditions: Water heaters聽often聽share a utility closet with the furnace, which聽requires聽fresh air to聽function聽properly.聽Stiff聽drafts from this air intake can聽blow out聽a water heater聽pilot light.
Got the Pilot Light Lit?聽Let聽天美传媒聽Keep it That Way!
If you’re still having聽problems聽with your water heater pilot light in the U.S,聽contact聽天美传媒. Our聽ACE-certified technicians聽provide fast,聽helpful聽solutions聽to all your comfort聽troubles. Everything we do is backed by a聽天美传媒 Guarantee, so if you’re not聽pleased聽with our聽efforts, we’ll work to聽make it right. We are leaders in innovation and customer聽support, with聽strong聽community involvement that聽demonstrates聽our commitment to your comfort. Call (866) 963-7996 today to reach the聽professional聽staff at聽天美传媒.聽We're ready to聽make a聽meaningful聽difference in your life, one hot shower at a time.
