Gas Hot Water Heater Pilot Light Out

The pilot orifice may be full of dirt.

Gas hot water heater pilot light out. The pilot light is supposed to be a strong blue cone not a weak yellow flame. The pilot light in your hot water heater does more than simply ignite the gas. Find this sensor near the tip of the pilot flame. The main control valve is responsible for regulating the heater s gas and water pressure.

Your thermocouple is responsible for sensing when your pilot light is lit. It s the soul of your water heater. If this pilot light ever goes out. 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.

The pilot light is lit with a match or long lighter. Nearly all gas water heaters with pilot lights are lit the same way. How to light the pilot for a gas hot water heater. A button is pushed to temporarily supply gas to the pilot light.

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. A pilot light is always burning while using a small amount of gas either a water heater is running or not. Pilot light issues are some of the most common problems experienced with gas water heaters. A weaker flame won t envelop the thermocouple properly.

It starts the whole process by first supplying a small amount of gas to the pilot light. 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. Gas heater pilot light troubleshooting.

Some of the most common reasons that water heater pilot lights go out include. Without it the water heater won t be able to maintain internal temperatures allowing the water to cool off. 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 is common on fireplaces and older cheaper furnaces and water heaters.

If the gas is lit it fully opens the main valve to provide a steady supply of gas. Cleaning out the pilot orifice means disassembling the pilot and clearing out the debris using a needle or compressed air. Tank type gas water heaters use a pilot light to ignite the gas burner when the water in the tank needs to be heated. 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.