Turn the gas knob to “Pilot,” press, and hold it down. This will start the flow of gas so you can light the flame. Some water heaters have a separate button for pilot mode, usually a red one, which you'll press and hold. While still holding the gas down, light that pilot.
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.
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.
This is the reason experts instruct homeowners to turn the gas off and let water heaters sit for at least 10 minutes before attempting to relight an extinguished pilot light. Those two steps — shutting off the gas and waiting — allow built-up gas to safely disperse, reducing the risk of an accident.
A pilot light is a small flame that is kept alight constantly in order to serve as an ignition source for a gas burner. They are used on many natural gas and propane appliances, such as water heaters, clothes dryers, central heating systems, fireplaces and stoves.
Safety. One of the main concerns about leaving the pilot light on during summer is the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be deadly if inhaled in high concentrations. The pilot light can produce carbon monoxide even when no fire is burning in the fireplace.
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.
Many newer water heaters no longer use a standing pilot light and instead use an automatic intermittent pilot or some other type of ignition system. However, if your unit has a standing pilot where there is always a constant flame, the unit won't be able to work until you can get the pilot to stay lit.
The Short Answer Is: It is generally safe for a homeowner to relight a furnace pilot light, as long as they follow proper precautions and guidelines. To do it yourself, first, turn off the furnace's gas supply and wait for a few minutes to allow any lingering gas to dissipate.
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. Apart from lighting the main burner, the pilot light also provides warmth to the thermocouple.
The Cost of Relighting the Pilot Light
A plumber can help reignite the pilot light. They will charge you an hourly fee of $40 to $150. This is usually a fairly brief project, and may just take an hour.
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.
This mode allows just enough gas to light the pilot without adding so much gas that you risk an explosion. The way to set the pilot mode will depend on your water heater. Some gas regulator valves will have a clearly marked “pilot” position that you turn the valve to.
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.
Is It Dangerous if The Pilot Light Goes Out? The worry here is that when a pilot goes out, the gas valve that supplies the fuel for the pilot flame could still be pumping gas. This can mean a buildup of gas, and when the pilot is relit or relights itself, it could result in a very serious explosion.
Water heating times vary — it may happen instantly, or it could take 60–80 minutes.
Lack of Combustible Air
Your water heater requires air to keep the pilot light burning. Otherwise, the flame goes out. Ensure that the water heater is not surrounded by clutter, lint, or debris to increase the amount of combustible air. Keep the surrounding area as clean as possible.
Setting the system to “Vacation” or “Pilot” mode saves energy while also preventing damage to your water heater. It's a compromise between using no power at all and using a little bit of heat to avoid extensive damage to your system. So, as you can see, vacation mode is an essential feature of your water heater.
Dirt, dust, and debris can block the flow of gas from the pilot tube. This means that the pilot light isn't receiving enough fuel to fully ignite. Thankfully, fixing this issue is easy — all you need is a long needle and a bit of patience. Gently poke the needle into the pilot hole and remove any debris.
In modern gas-fueled type water heaters feature valves that automatically close the supply of gas when the pilot light goes out. This involves a thermocouple device to detect if the pilot light is on via temperature and if it is not, then the voltage drops which in turn causes the gas valve to close.
The pilot light on most water heaters can be found at the base of the unit just under the gas control valve. Open the access door or panel to the burner chamber and take a look inside. You should be able to see the pilot light tube. If there's a steady blue flame, your pilot light is operational.
If the pilot light goes out on a storage or instantaneous hot water heater, space heater or a ducted heater, you will not have a gas leak. This is because all modern gas appliances with pilot lights have a fail-safe device that closes off the gas to the appliance in the case when the pilot may go out.
If you are having trouble getting your water heater pilot light on, or you can't get it to stay lit for long, rely on a plumbing professional for water heater repair, maintenance, and replacement services.