What are some troubleshooting methods if your pilot light will not ignite for your hot water heater?
Answers:
If it lights, but goes out as soon as you let up on the button, you're either not holding the button down long enough, or the thermocouple could be bad. If it doesn't light at all, the valve may be faulty. It's best to have a pro look at it, cause it's real easy to blow yourself up if your not careful!
Other answers:
The best thing you could do would be to contact an appliance repair center. Your water heater could have a clogged inlet in it, which usually requires a very fine piece of wire to clean, or to disconnect it and use forced air to clear it. It is also a lot safer, since with gas, one little slip up and you can cause an explosion when you go to light the heater again.
The best thing you could do would be to contact an appliance repair center. Your water heater could have a clogged inlet in it, which usually requires a very fine piece of wire to clean, or to disconnect it and use forced air to clear it. It is also a lot safer, since with gas, one little slip up and you can cause an explosion when you go to light the heater again.
You need to call the Gas Company right away. It is very dangerous to try to light if. I saw a tire company try to do their own thing only to be blown up. I saw three men run out of the building all blackened from the explosion and they all died later at the hospital. Later we heard that they were trying to light a gas heater. How awful and I saw how they were suffering when they ran from the building. Don't do it yourself. CALL THE GAS COMPANY RIGHT AWAY !!
Do you rent, or own? If you rent tell your super, if you are buying to own, and your not a handy man, call a plumber. Mine was the heating element in the hot-water heater. Its not too expensive, but I bet you thats what it is.,unless you have water leaking out of the hot-water tank., then.. the whole thing is shot. , but I'd say that its your heating element on the tank. Good Luck
If your water heater is old the generator (or thermocouple) could be bad. It is the thin tube with a fattened end next to where you light the pilot light. Unbolt it and take it into Home Depot for the proper replacement part, there are a number of types.
I bet you have dust in the hole. Take a straw and blow it
into the hole. It works
if its the older style hot water heaters it will be the thermocouple there is NO gas to touch.
it unscrews from the top or bottom of the gas valve and pulls out of the thermocoupler spot by the burner, holding it ,it has a clip with is a tight fit but it will pull out
rare occasions a nut on the bottom needs to be loosed to get it to come out
buy a 24" thermocouple about $15 and reverse process to install
don't over tighten the end in the gas valve it has to be snug but not over tight.
turn the gas to off on the gas valve wait 5 Min's for the valve to reset and relight the tank as if you would normally
instructions are on the tank.
if it has a piezo ignitor call a plumber they are a pain to change out because its a sealed combustion chamber.
if in doubt or not overly confident then call a tradesman he would more than happy to help you with this 10 min job (we charge for the hour anyway)
good luck and take care
Change the thermocouple. Get a new one at a home center and follow instructions. It's about 4 bucks
Call the gas company right now! They will send someone out to check for leaks & they will relight it for you for free.