Water Heater Repair – Fixing the pilot light on your water heater.
On May 16, 2014, By Builder’s Assistant Leave A Comment On How To Repair or Replace a water heater (Terribly Burned Out Pilot Light That Will Not Stay Lit).
I’ve had the pilot go out on my water heater twice now in the 7 months I have lived here. This seems to be an issue that happens with rental property water heaters (at least this is what I’m told it was). The pilot could just need to be adjusted, but after a few days of not being lit it goes out again and has to be replaced completely.
The steps below will guide you through how to replace a pilot light for a gas hot water heater, as well as how to troubleshoot and fix common issues with water heater pilot lights.
How to Replace a Pilot Light for a Gas Hot Water Heater:
1) Turn off the gas supply to your water heater by turning the valve on the gas line counter-clockwise.
2) Open the access panel on your water heater and locate the pilot light assembly. The pilot light assembly will be in one of two places, on the burner tube or on the side of the water heater near the bottom.
If your pilot light is located on the burner tube:
a) Remove the metal cap from the end of the burner tube.
b) Use long-handled needle-nose pliers to grasp and pull the thermocouple out of the pilot light assembly tube (the metal piece with two wires attached to it).
If your pilot light is located on the side of the water heater near the bottom:
a) Use a flashlight to look inside the access panel and find the pilot light port.
b) Remove screw from pilot light cover or remove screws that hold burner together depending on the model. c) Locate thermocouple inside, grasp with needle-nose pliers, and pull out.
d) Unwrap electrical tape around old thermocouple wire. e) Cut about 3/8″ of insulation off each end of new thermocouple wire using a utility knife or razor blade. f) Strip back insulation on ends of each wire about 1/4″. g) Twist-stranded wires together and screw-on connector (if provided). If no connector is provided, solder wires together.
3) Remove the pilot light by unscrewing it from the assembly.
4) Take the new pilot light and reattach it to the assembly.
5) Replace screws, cover, or burner, making sure the thermocouple is in place and that no wires are touching other metal parts.
6) Turn on the gas supply valve by turning it clockwise.
7) Test for leaks around the valve and connections using a leak detection solution or soap bubbles. If there are any leaks, tighten connections until they stop.
8) Push in and turn the pilot light knob (or slide switch) and hold for about 15 seconds.
9) Turn off the pilot light. If it does not stay lit, contact a professional heating service company or turn off the gas supply valve, open the access panel to the water heater, remove the burner tube cover, release excess pressure inside the tank using a long-handled flat tip screwdriver inserted between two metal plates inside the tank at top of water heater, turn on gas supply again and relight the pilot light. At this point, you have probably determined whether it is just burned out or there is something wrong with your water heater’s heating element. If you want to know more about our plumber in zip code 78613 visit this page.
10) Set the thermostat to around 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
11) Turn off breakers to all major appliances in the house to provide a load for your water heater.
12) Turn on the major appliance(s) in use (i.e., dishwasher, washing machine), and check all hot water faucets to ensure that you have a good flow of hot water coming out of them.
13) Turn off all appliances using hot water except the one closest to the coldest tap in the house.
14) Check the temperature again at each faucet, ensuring that it is still 120 degrees Fahrenheit or below. If it is not, adjust your thermostat accordingly. 15) Turn offloads you have provided for your water heater until it reaches the desired temperature, then turn them back on again. 16) Repeat steps 11-15 until your water heater reaches 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
17) Return the thermostat to its original setting.
18) Turn off all appliances using hot water except for the one closest to the coldest tap in the house. Find out more about our water heater solutions we offer on Google maps.
19) Check the temperature at each faucet, making sure it is below 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If not, increase the thermostat’s temperature setting accordingly. 20) Close the access panel or burner cover on your water heater and make sure that all screws are firmly tightened before restarting the gas supply valve by turning clockwise again. This should be done once a year to ensure optimal efficiency of water heater — also consider replacing anode rod if you have softened water where deposits aren’t flushing away properly due to low pH balance.
If you have no hot water, the first thing you should do is check the thermostat to make sure it is set high enough. You can also try turning off breakers to all major appliances in your house to provide a load for your water heater and then turning them back on again. If there is still no hot water, you may have a problem with your water heater’s heating element and should contact a professional heating service company.
In order to ensure that your water heater is working properly, it is important to perform regular maintenance. One thing you can do is a test for leaks around the valve and connections using a leak detection solution or soap bubbles. If there are any leaks, tighten the connections until they stop. You should also push in and turn the pilot light knob (or slide switch) and hold for about 15 seconds. If it does not stay lit, contact a professional heating service company or turn off the gas supply valve, open the access panel to the water heater, remove the burner tube cover, release excess pressure inside the tank using a long-handled flat tip screwdriver inserted between two metal plates inside the tank at top of water heater, turn on gas supply again and relight the pilot light. At this point, you have probably determined whether it is just burned out or there is something wrong with your water heater’s heating element.
If your water heater is still not working after these steps have been completed, check the temperature again at each faucet to ensure that it is still 120 degrees Fahrenheit or below. If it is not, adjust your thermostat accordingly. Then turn off all appliances using hot water except for the one closest to the coldest tap in the house and check the temperature again at each faucet, ensuring that it is below 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn offloads you have provided for your water heater until it reaches the desired temperature, then turn them back on again. Repeat steps 11-15 until your water heater reaches 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Return the thermostat to its original setting, turn off all appliances using hot water except for the one closest to the coldest tap in the house, and check the temperature at each faucet, making sure it is below 120 degrees Fahrenheit before closing the access panel.
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