If you have a modern type water heater there are various features built in that may make it not necessary to turn of your pilot light such as “vacation” mode that will leave the light lit but cut of access to the gas to prevent a possible gas leak.
Yes it is safe to leave the water heater in pilot mode while flushing. You do not want the burner to fire while the tank is empty as this can damage the tank but the pilot will not cause a problem. Added: most gas valves with a standing pilot have the temp setting and ``pilot'' then off settings.
No. You should not leave the pilot on given the risks which are CO poisoning and, more likely, fire. It is a simple task to relight the pilot light especially after you've got it primed after using before. Not to mention you'll be wasting gas on a heat output equivalent to a Bic lighter.
The whole point of the pilot on a hot water tank is to light the main burner when the temperature drops below the set level on the thermostat. That's why you'd want it on if you had a water tank - so you wouldn't have many many gallons of water that needed to heat up again before you used it.
Continue to hold: Keep holding down the pilot knob or button for at least a minute after the flame ignites. This will ensure the pilot remains lit.
Igniting a flame in the proximity of a gas leak can be very dangerous for you and your home. You should only reignite your hot water heater pilot light if you are sure there is no gas leaking from your unit.
The short answer is – you do not need to turn off your pilot light, and there is little risk in leaving it on all summer. Leaving it on is the simpler way to go. But, if you want to turn it off, you can, and there's no harm in that either.
The EPA recommends 120 degrees because it's hot enough to keep diseases at bay but not hot enough to cause scalding. This setting will also supply enough hot water for most small families and is relatively energy efficient.
What Is a Pilot Light? The pilot light on your water heater is the little blue flame used to light the gas streaming to your heater from the gas pipes coming from outside your home. While some people believe that a water heater turns on when the pilot light ignites, traditional pilot lights are lit 24/7.
If there's no vacation mode explicitly detailed on your thermostat, then you can manually do the same thing a vacation mode would by turning the temperature down to “Pilot” mode, and then leaving it there until you get back.
Generally, leaving the pilot light on is safe, and you may decide to do this for a few reasons. For example, you want to use your outdoor fireplace on those cooler summer evenings. The pilot flame can also help prevent spiders from building webs in your fireplace, insert, or stove.
Turn off the electricity to the water heater or turn the gas switch to pilot. Shut off the cold-water inlet to the water heater. Connect a garden hose to the tank's drain valve. Locate the draining end of the hose in an area that won't be adversely affected by the scalding hot water.
You can save gas and conserve energy by switching off the pilot light during summer. There is continuous use of gas to keep the pilot light on—turning it off will help save energy. While it may not be a significant drop in your energy or gas bill, remember, every dollar counts.
Your unit's pilot light is always burning when the unit is on. If the pilot light goes out, the gas will stop flowing and your unit will shut off. When heating is required, the gas control valve releases the gas into the main burner where the pilot light ignites the gas.
That way, your water heater is saving energy while using sufficient energy to keep water flowing and preventing frozen plumbing. If you'll be away from your home for more than three days, it's recommended you use Vacation Mode.
The thermocouple is a key component of any water heater. It's what closes the gas valve when the pilot light goes out. This safety feature is included with the valve so gas won't just leak out if the flame isn't there anymore.
If you are going to do maintenance on your water heater such as flushing your water heater, you should turn off your pilot heater to prevent heating an empty tank or if you are leaving for vacation or leaving the house vacant for a long time, it may be beneficial to turn of the pilot light to save energy cost and to ...
Can a Pilot Light Cause a Fire? While it is not very common for the pilot light in a gas-fueled water heater to start a fire, it is possible.
A pilot light is a small flame commonly seen in furnaces, fireplaces, and water heaters. This flame is responsible for igniting gas coming from the gas valve and main burner. The pilot light always remains burning. When it's time to heat, the gas control valve releases gas into the main burner.
120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding, but 140° is the common default setting. Most experts agree that anything below 120 degrees creates a risk for bacteria to develop inside your water heater from stagnant water, such as legionella that causes Legionnaire's disease.
It's better to leave the hot water heater on all the time, rather than turning it on and off. This is a very common energy saving myth. But in fact, you really don't need to be heating your water all the time.
Understanding these settings can help when figuring out how to adjust the temp on water heater units. A typically represents around 130°F. B usually corresponds to 140°F. C indicates a temperature of about 150°F or higher.
Save Energy and Money – Don't Leave Your Pilot Light Always On. As the weather gets warmer, you will be using your gas fireplace less and less. Turning off your gas fireplace seasonally can save you a substantial amount of energy and money.
A fireplace pilot light might consume about 24,000 BTU per day, adding up to about 720,000 BTU a month, or 7.2 therms. If you're paying $1 per therm, then leaving the pilot light on all the time throughout a month might cost you around $7 per month and $84 per year.
It shouldn't be able to re-light itself. It should have a bi-metal strip which prevents gas being delivered unless the pilot has heated the strip to sustain it on. If the pilot goes out regularly then the pilot flame is either being blown out or the bi-metal strip is faulty.