How To Light A Pilot On A Water Heater
Water heaters fuelled by gas or propane have a small flame to light the burner. This tiny flame is known as a pilot light and maintains its status as being lighted at all times. When the water heater detects that the water in the tank needs to be heated, it will use the pilot light to light the gas burner so that the water may be heated.Imagine the pilot light as being similar to a match. You may strike a match if you want to ignite a fire or gas stove. But if you don't have a match, you won't be able to light a fire or get your gas stove going. Both of those things require a spark.
A pilot light can be thought of in the same way. Your water heater won't be able to heat the water if the pilot light goes out because it won't be able to ignite the gas burner, so it won't be able to heat the gas. The realization that you do not have hot water is frequently the first indication that the pilot light has gone out.
However, after the pilot light has been rekindled, the water heater will be able to relight the gas burner and restart heating the water.
The process of lighting a pilot on a water heater may be broken down into a few easy steps.
1. Make Sure The Pilot Light Is On
To determine whether or not the pilot light is functioning properly, you will most likely need to remove a tiny panel at the bottom of the tank, referred to as an access panel. If you do not observe a small flame burning, this indicates that the pilot light in your appliance has gone out.If you have a relatively recent water heater, there is a chance that the panel cannot be removed and that you must look through the glass to see the pilot light. In this scenario, the status of your pilot light can be determined by whether or not you can see a flame burning through the glass.
2. Check To See That There Is No Sign Of Gas Escaping
If a gas leak comes from your water heater, you should never, under any circumstances, attempt to rekindle your pilot since doing so poses a significant risk to you and your home. Perform a quick sniff test to determine whether or not there is a gas leak before attempting to relight the pilot.You should check for any strange odors by standing close to your water heater and doing this. Afterward, get on your knees and smell around any valves on the front or side of the tank. In its purest form, natural gas has no discernible odor; however, gas companies add a chemical known as mercaptan to the gas so that humans may smell it. Leaking gas smells like sulfur or rotting eggs.
Do not attempt to relight the pilot if you detect the slightest hint of gas odor in either of these locations. Get out of the water heater's area and call the gas company as soon as you can. They will instruct you on how to continue.
Also, keep an ear out for a hissing sound in the area of the water heater; this is an indication that there is a gas leak.
3. Turn On The Pilot Light On Your Hot Water Heater
You are free to relight the pilot flame of your water heater once you have determined that your system is completely leak-free. To accomplish this, turn the regulator valve to the "pilot" position, then press and maintain pressure on the valve. You will have to push a separate red button on certain models to control the gas flow to the pilot light.If your device has a separate button from the others, it is typically colored red and should be labeled "pilot." You can also check the front of your unit for instructions, which may help you identify the valves and switches you need to relight the pilot light on your water heater.
After you have depressed the regulator valve, you will need to provide the spark to rekindle the pilot light so it can function properly. If you have a more recent model, the button that controls the ignition of your water heater should be either black or red and labeled with the word "ignition." If you hold down this button, the pilot light on your stove should be reignited. Whenever this takes place, you should hear a click.
If you have an older model or one that requires manual operation, you will need to relight the pilot light by delivering the spark yourself. Utilizing a long-nosed lighter, such as the kind that is used to light grills, is the method that is likely to result in the fewest injuries. Never use a match or cigarette lighter since doing so raises the risk that you will burn your hand when the pilot light ignites again.
4. Make Sure The Flame Continues To Stay Illuminated And That Your Heater Is Operating Properly
After the pilot light has been lit, press down on the regulator valve and keep it that way for at least a minute. This will allow the thermocouple sensor to rewarm up. This sensor will turn off your water heater if it detects that the pilot light has gone out and will also do so if the temperature drops too low. After one minute, gradually open the regulator valve while keeping an eye on the pilot light to see if it continues to burn. In that case, you should move the regulator valve to the "on" position. You may hear a "whoosh," telling you that the primary burner has been reignited.You should not have any further problems with your pilot light as soon as this occurs. If your Water Heater Pilot Light Won't Stay Lit click here to read more on repairing your pilot light. Be sure to take any tools you used and remember to replace any access panels you removed.
Conclusion
Having to deal with natural gas can be nerve-wracking. If you follow these simple instructions, you can safely relight the pilot light on your hot water heater whenever you find it necessary.You can always use Videochatapro if you are still unsure of what you are doing if you are unable to figure out how your particular model works, or if you feel that it would be better to have a professional handle it. Videochatapro offers assistance that is professional, prompt, and based in a virtual environment.