What does it mean when your water heater pilot light keeps going out?

thermocouple
If the pilot light goes out, the thermocouple senses the drop in temperature and signals for the gas valve to close. If you have a faulty thermocouple is the most common reason that your pilot light is malfunctioning. Over time your water heater will collect dirt, dust and other kinds of debris.

Why does my water heater pilot light keep going out?

Make sure to follow the directions on your water heater label. If your pilot doesn’t re-light, won’t stay lit or keeps going out after a short time, you most likely have an issue with the hot water heater thermocouple. This can happen with age.

How do you relight a pilot light on a water heater?

Relight the pilot light. Turn the control valve to “on”. When the gas burner comes on, use a 50/50 dish soap/water mix to test the screw joints for air bubbles that indicate leaks. Note: When relit, the water heater pilot light flame should wrap around the thermocouple bulb.

What to do if your pilot light wont work?

First, locate the thermocouple to clean it using a piece of sandpaper. Always remember to shut off the gas before you start cleaning and to make sure that your thermocouple is cool. If you’re thermocouple still doesn’t work after cleaning, the issue may be that it’s bent.

How can I see if there is a flame under my water heater?

Depending on your water heater, you can actually see if there is a flame underneath the tank. Turn the pilot light knob onto “pilot”. Press down on the knob and hold down the ignite button for a minute to turn the flame back on.

How do I check the pilot light on my water heater?

Open the door/cover over the pilot light access. This will be located under the gas valve; some water heaters just have an open gap instead where you can see the pilot light burner. Use a flashlight or a headlamp to find the burner inside. Two small gas tubes will lead to it.

How do you light the pilot light on a heater?

Here is how to light the pilot light on a gas heater. Lighting the pilot light on a gas heater is simple to do. Turn the thermostat to its lowest setting. Turn the gas knob to the OFF setting and wait 5 minutes to clear out any gas.

How does a pilot light go out on a water heater?

Some of the most common reasons that water heater pilot lights go out include: A faulty thermocouple. Your thermocouple is responsible for sensing when your pilot light is lit. If it senses that the pilot light has gone out, the thermocouple shuts off the gas supply to the flame in order…

Why is the water heater pilot light keeps going out?

There are several things that can cause your gas water heater pilot light to keep going out. One of the most common is your thermocouple. If you are unfamiliar with what this device does, the thermocouple is a device in your hot water heater that uses an electrical current to determine whether the pilot light is on or not.