Gas Water Heater Problems Pilot Light

The water heater pilot light is a small flame that ignites the gas burner on your water heater.

Gas water heater problems pilot light.

For electric hot water heaters start troubleshooting with a quick reset. The pilot light flame should be blue slightly tinged with yellow only at the tip a sign there is enough heat to warm your water or your home. An all yellow flame means the furnace or water heater won t get hot enough to heat the thermocouple to the point where it triggers the gas valve to open. Without it the water heater won t be able to maintain internal temperatures allowing the water to cool off.

Pilot light issues are some of the most common problems experienced with gas water heaters. When the pilot light goes out for any reason the thermocouple closes the burner s gas supply valve to prevent gas escaping and filling your house. Gas heater pilot light troubleshooting. If the gas is lit it fully opens the main valve to provide a steady supply of gas.

If the pilot doesn t relight if it goes out right after lighting or if it goes out repeatedly by far the most common cause is. In this hvac training video i show up close how the thermocouple pilot light and gas valve work on a water heater furnace fireplace as well as other ap. It s the soul of your water heater. If this pilot light ever goes out.

A faulty thermocouple or malfunction of the gas valve could be the culprit but the problem may be as simple as a draft coming from a crack in the wall or under the door. 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. A pilot light is always burning while using a small amount of gas either a water heater is running or not. When the water heater pilot light goes out first try relighting it following the directions on the water heater label.

The thermocouple is a safety device that stops gas flow when the pilot light goes out. It starts the whole process by first supplying a small amount of gas to the pilot light. Turn off the water. If it s not the pilot light check the thermocouple.

Sometimes the thermocouple just needs an adjustment so that the tip lines back up with pilot light flame. 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. It is common on fireplaces and older cheaper furnaces and water heaters. The pilot light in your hot water heater does more than simply ignite the gas.