Has your water heater’s pilot light been blown out? It may be because of a breeze that blew through or even as simple as the gas supply being shut off during some repair work. Regardless of the exact reason, Miamisburg Plumbing & Drain is here to help you get back to enjoying warm showers and other luxuries hot water provides. Don’t let outages impede your comfort; call us today for all your plumbing needs! 

Before we go over all the steps for relighting your water heater’s pilot light, it is crucial to note that most manufacturers place pilot light instructions on the side of each water heater unit. As a result, if yours are accessible to you, it would be best to make sure you refer to the manufactures instructions as a first option. This is recommended because these instructions are intended specifically for your water heater model. However, if you can’t easily view yours, then follow the general guidelines provided below instead. 

WHAT STEPS CAN YOU FOLLOW TO RELIGHT YOUR WATER HEATER’S PILOT LIGHT?  

  1. Before starting, it is extremely important that you turn off the gas supply first. To guarantee your safety, please make sure your water heater’s gas valve on the pipe is also firmly closed as well. 
  1. Following that, if your particular water heater has an access panel (known as the burner cover) at the base of the unit, you must take off this cover first and foremost. 
  1. Next, you need to give the previously built-up gas an appropriate time to disperse. This is for safety reasons when dealing with gas and fire. Five to ten minutes should suffice. 
  1. Now you can turn the gas control valve to the “pilot” position. 
  1. Subsequently, press and hold down the knob. (It functions like a button as well). Keep pressing down. 
  1. While holding the knob down, press on the small black square underneath it. One click should do the trick. This is the ignition button. You should see the pilot flame spark up. If, for whatever reason, it does not, you can click the ignition button again until the pilot flame turns on. Keep in mind, your one hand should still be pressing down on the “pilot” setting on the knob. 
  1. When you see the indicator light blink, this is when you can let go of the button/knob.  
  1. Now adjust the temperature settings according to your preferences. 
  1. Prior to wrapping up, be sure to resume the gas supply back to the “on” position. 
  1. Also, make sure to replace the burner cover back onto your water heater. 

You did it! You have successfully relit the pilot light on your water heater – great job! 

WHAT ARE SOME ADDITIONAL TIPS TO KNOW?  

  • Upon releasing your grip on the “pilot” knob, if the pilot light snuffs right out, this is an indication there is an underlying issue with a possible component. If this is the case, you should not delay in calling a service professional. 
  • When identifying the gas control settings on your water heater model, it is important to remember that all models vary. But for the most part, many of them have similar structures. You may try looking up your particular model online to see if you can narrow down where the controls are located.  
  • Please note that if your gas water heater has an electronic ignition system, it might still have a pilot light as a backup in case the ignition system fails. So just keep in mind that the pilot light could be utilized to manually ignite the burner, if necessary, by using a lighter or a match. 

If you’re still having issues, don’t give in to the frustration of a fickle water heater any longer. Let Miamisburg Plumbing & Drain handle it for you. With our expert technicians and years of experience, we can efficiently handle any plumbing problem for you.  Don’t hesitate to call us if you need us. Call us for all your plumbing concerns at (937) 705-0297, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here