Gas Hot Water Heater Pilot Light Out

Tank type gas water heaters use a pilot light to ignite the gas burner when the water in the tank needs to be heated.

Gas hot water heater pilot light out.

It starts the whole process by first supplying a small amount of gas to the pilot light. The pilot light is supposed to be a strong blue cone not a weak yellow flame. The pilot orifice may be full of dirt. When the thermocouple senses a lit pilot it leaves the main gas valve open.

The water heater pilot light is a small flame that ignites the gas burner on your water heater. 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. The pilot light is lit with a match or long lighter. A button is pushed to temporarily supply gas to the pilot light.

It s the soul of your water heater. Usually the first warning. Nearly all gas water heaters with pilot lights are lit the same way. Pilot light issues are some of the most common problems experienced with gas water heaters.

A weaker flame won t envelop the thermocouple properly. 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. Once the thermocouple is hot the button may be released and the pilot light will stay on.

If you have a natural or propane gas water heater chances are the pilot has gone out. If this pilot light ever goes out. The pilot light in your hot water heater does more than simply ignite the gas. 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.

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. A pilot light is always burning while using a small amount of gas either a water heater is running or not. It is common on fireplaces and older cheaper furnaces and water heaters. When the water heater pilot light goes out first try relighting it following the directions on the water heater label.

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. Find this sensor near the tip of the pilot flame. 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.

Your thermocouple is responsible for sensing when your pilot light is lit.