Water Heater Pilot Light Not Lighting

This device is designed to pick up an electrical signal from the pilot light s heat to determine whether or not the pilot is on.

Water heater pilot light not lighting. If there is nothing wrong with the thermocouple then another potential cause for a heater failing to light is a dirty pilot tube. When the water heater pilot light goes out first try relighting it following the directions on the water heater label. If the pilot doesn t relight if it goes out right after lighting or if the pilot light keeps going out by far the most common cause is a bad thermocouple. If you do not see a small flame burning then your pilot light has gone out.

The pilot ignites the water heater s gas burner. If the pilot does not light the water heater will not heat. If the pilot cannot be cleaned replace it. So here are the reasons.

Luckily fixing this is a pretty easy and straightforward process. Rheem water heater pilot not lighting piezo igniter style water heater went out last week and is 6 months outside of the 6 year manufacturer s warranty. Didn t see any leaks like the old one that failed prior decided to do some basic troubleshooting and figured out the components to try to fiddle with. If the pilot does not light the water heater will not heat.

If you have a newer water heater it is possible that your panel is not removable and that you view your pilot light through glass. If the pilot line is clogged clean it or replace it. One of the reasons why there is no hot water is when the burner did not ignite and this is happening when the pilot light does not light. A bad thermocouple will shut off gas to both the pilot and the burner which is when people notice that the water heater pilot light is out.

Sometimes carbon deposits can build up on the pilot and eventually create a restriction i if the pilot is restricted try removing it and clearing it with a stiff brush and or compressed air. Dirt oil and occasionally carbon can build up and block the proper flow of gas to the burner system and pilot light. If the pilot cannot be cleaned replace it. You ll get your hot water going without waiting for a pro to show up and save the cost of a service call for a gas.

When your thermocouple detects an unlit pilot it automatically shuts off the gas to your water heater as a safety precaution. In this case if you cannot see a flame burning through the glass then your pilot light is out. Thermocouple problems can be fairly common and this component is often the culprit when the water heater pilot keeps going out. Your water heater pilot light works in concert with other parts.

You can usually replace a thermocouple for minimal cost and in less than an hour.