Water Heater Pilot Light – One of the Easiest Plumbing Jobs You Could Do Yourself.
The water heater pilot light is the first thing to check if you’ve discovered you aren’t getting any hot water. Some people may choose to call in a professional to do that for them, while others will think about doing it their self. Is it something that you could be doing yourself? Can you fix the problem, if the water heater pilot light has gone out?
Some people are going to be very wary of tackling anything that involves gas, and rightly so, but there can be times when it’s perfectly safe to do it yourself. Is relighting a water heater pilot light something that you could do? Maybe it’s time to get on the phone to Magic Plumbing, if you’re not too confident about taking on the job.
Now, if this is simply a case of the water heater pilot light going out, there are a few steps that you need to take to relight it; so let’s get started, shall we?
Water heater pilot light restart step 1: the right tools
As with any job you tackle, you’re going to have to have the right tools before you get started, there’s no point in getting part way through, and having to stop to find something that you need.
You’ll need a flashlight, some long matches, and you may need a pair of pliers and a screwdriver. All set then?
Water heater pilot light restart step 2: switching off the gas
This is important, so make sure you don’t miss out this step.
You need to start by turning the knob on the water heater, all the way to the ‘OFF’ position. Then you should turn the thermostat control all the way down to its lowest setting.
When you’ve done both of those things, wait for five minutes. The five minutes that you’re waiting will clear the gas. If you still smell gas after that time, call the professionals in; gas isn’t something to take lightly.
Water heater pilot light restart step 3: gaining access
You’re going to have to gain access to the water heater pilot light, and this is where having the right tools is going to be important. Some of the water heater pilot light coverings are easier to remove than others – it may just be a case of unclipping it – and others can take a bit of effort.
When you have the water heater pilot light cover removed, it’s time to look inside. You need to find the end of the water heater pilot light tube extending out from the control valve. Now you know where the match needs to go in the burning chamber.
Water heater pilot light restart step 4: switching on the gas
The knob that you switched off earlier, should have a setting on it saying ‘Pilot’; that’s what you need to turn it to.
Now, press the reset button and reach in to the burning chamber with the lit match. When you’ve lit the water heater pilot light, remove the match. You should keep the reset button pressed down for about a minute before releasing it.
Water heater pilot light restart step 5: check
Before you do anything else, have a look to see if the water heater pilot light is still going. If the light has gone out again, you may have to go back through the steps above.
Water heater pilot light restart step 6: finishing off
With the water heater pilot light now going, it’s time to turn the knob back to the ‘ON’ position.
Close everything back up, and get ready for those nice hot showers.
So, what do you do if the water heater pilot light didn’t come back on? That’s when you may have to concede defeat and call in the professionals.
There could be a number of reasons why the pilot light is refusing to light, or stay lit. Many of the problems you won’t be able to deal with yourself, so it’s time to put your trust in the hands of a company that has over 30 years of experience when it comes to dealing with plumbing problems, both big and small.
You may have looked for companies like Magic Plumbing in the past, but how often have you found them when you needed them in a hurry?
If it’s an emergency, rather than ‘just’ a water heater pilot light problem, you may have just picked up the phone book, and called around to see who was available. The big problem with doing that is you’re not going to know what the company is like, and you’re going to have to pay a large call out charge for the privilege of finding out.
If you do have a water heater pilot light incident, now may be the time to try out a plumbing company, and see what their service is like. Sure, you probably could fix the problem yourself, but wouldn’t trying a company out on something that you know you could do yourself, give you a bit more confidence about calling them if you have a real emergency in the future?
Check with people you know to see if you can get any recommendations, and then try that company to see how good they are – here’s one to get you started, Magic Plumbing – and then put them down on your list of plumbers to call in an emergency. Oh, and you don’t have to blow the water heater pilot light out each time so as to give you a reason to call them; sometimes just phoning up to ask questions can be enough to narrow down your list.
When it does come to the water heater pilot light, however, you should have enough knowledge now to be able to fix the problem yourself; but, if you’re still in doubt, play it safe by calling in an experienced plumbing professional.
