Stepping into the shower and getting hit with freezing cold water is a rude awakening. If your morning routine comes to a sudden halt, your water heater’s pilot light may have gone out.
Relighting a pilot flame is a common task for many homeowners. However, working with gas appliances always demands caution and respect. If you want to know how to light a gas water heater safely without risking injury or equipment damage, follow this simple step-by-step guide.
Before You Start: The “Sniff Test” Safety Check
Before touching any knobs or dials, perform a quick safety check. Natural gas companies add a chemical that smells like rotten eggs or sulfur to alert you to leaks.
Sniff the air near the floor around the base of the tank. Fuel gas is heavier than air and can pool near the ground.
- If you smell gas: Stop immediately. Do not attempt to light the pilot. Do not flip electrical switches or use a phone nearby. Leave the house right away and call your gas utility company or 911 from a safe distance.
- If you smell no gas: It is safe to proceed with relighting the system.
How to Light a Water Heater: Step-by-Step
Most modern tanks feature a push-button spark igniter, while older models require a long match or grill lighter. The instructions printed on your tank’s access panel provide exact details for your specific model. However, the general procedure for how to light a water heater follows five clear steps:
1. Turn the Gas Control Knob to “Off”
Locate the gas control valve on the front of your tank near the base. Turn the main temperature dial down to the lowest setting (often marked “Vacation” or “Low”). Next, turn the main gas control knob to the “Off” position. Wait a full five to ten minutes. This waiting period allows any residual gas trapped inside the combustion chamber to dissipate safely into the room.
2. Access the Pilot Burner Assembly
Remove the outer metal access door located at the bottom of the tank. If your water heater has an older open-burner design, you may also need to slide open a small inner metal plate. Modern sealed units often feature a small glass sight window where you can view the pilot burner and the spark igniter without removing internal panels.
3. Switch the Valve to “Pilot” and Depress the Knob
Turn the gas control knob from “Off” to “Pilot.” To allow a small trickle of gas to flow directly to the pilot tube, you must press down firmly on the knob or depress a dedicated pilot button. Keep this knob pressed down firmly.
4. Ignite the Pilot Flame
While keeping the pilot knob pressed down with one hand, use your other hand to generate a spark:
- With a Piezo Igniter Button: Press the black or red ignition button repeatedly until you hear a sharp clicking sound. Look through the sight glass. You should see a small blue flame catch on the pilot burner tip.
- With Manual Lighting (Older Tanks): If your unit lacks an igniter button, use a long grill lighter. Carefully hold the flame near the tip of the pilot tube until the gas ignites.
5. Hold the Knob Down for 60 Seconds, Then Turn to “On”
Once the flame lights, continue holding the pilot knob down for a full 45 to 60 seconds. This step is crucial. The flame must heat up a small metal safety sensor called a thermocouple. The thermocouple senses heat and tells the gas valve that it is safe to keep the fuel flowing.
After one minute, slowly release the knob. If the small blue flame stays lit, turn the knob from “Pilot” to “On.” Then, set the temperature dial to your desired warmth (usually around 120 degrees Fahrenheit). You should immediately hear the main burner roar to life. Finally, put the metal access door back in place.
Why Does My Pilot Light Keep Going Out?
Learning how to light a hot water heater is straightforward, but a pilot flame should not blow out frequently. If your pilot light keeps going out every few days, your system is trying to tell you that something is mechanically wrong.
Common causes of repeated pilot failure include:
- A Faulty Thermocouple: The thermocouple is your water heater’s primary safety guardian. If this copper sensor becomes coated in black carbon soot, bends away from the flame, or simply wears out from age, it can no longer sense heat. When this happens, it automatically shuts off the gas supply to prevent raw fuel leaks.
- A Clogged Pilot Orifice: Natural gas burners collect dirt, dust, and lint over time. A tiny particle of debris can block the microscopic hole in the pilot nozzle, creating a weak, flickering yellow flame that easily blows out.
- Strong Drafts: In drafty Pennsylvania basements, sudden drafts from nearby windows, crawl spaces, or furnace blowers can snuff out a standing flame.
- Main Gas Control Valve Failure: If the thermocouple tests fine but the system still will not stay lit, the internal electromagnet inside the gas control valve may have failed completely.
When to Call a Professional for Water Heater Repair
If you have tried relighting the pilot twice and the flame refuses to catch—or goes out the second you let go of the knob—stop trying. Repeated attempts can cause fuel gas to build up inside the burner chamber, creating a dangerous flare-up risk.
At Burkee Climate Control, we have served homeowners across Quakertown, Perkasie, and Upper Bucks County for more than 28 years. We know that lack of hot water is an urgent inconvenience for your family. We offer prompt diagnostic service calls backed by our straightforward $59 Service Call Fee to test your thermocouple, clean your burners, and restore your hot water quickly.
Prevent Pilot Failures With The Comfort Club
The easiest way to avoid cold morning showers is with routine preventative care. Mineral sediment, soot buildup, and thermocouple corrosion develop slowly over months of daily use.
When you join The Comfort Club for just $19 per month, our certified technicians take care of your water heating and HVAC equipment all year long:
- We clean pilot assemblies and clear burner soot to ensure reliable ignition.
- We test safety shutoff valves and thermocouples to prevent sudden gas shutoffs.
- We flush out corrosive sediment to extend the lifespan of your tank.
- You receive 15% discounts on any necessary repairs, plus priority scheduling during peak winter seasons.
Don’t spend another day shivering through cold showers. If your water heater won’t stay lit, contact Burkee Climate Control today to schedule your service or enroll in The Comfort Club!
⚠️ Protect Your Home with Comfort Club
For homeowners across Quakertown, the Lehigh Valley, and Upper Bucks, dealing with hard Pennsylvania water is a constant, ongoing battle. The smartest way to protect your valuable plumbing infrastructure, avoid emergency breakdowns, and eliminate common water heater noises is through proactive, routine maintenance.
When you choose to join The Comfort Club at Burkee Climate Control, you completely eliminate the guesswork from your home maintenance schedule.
Our comprehensive membership includes annual water heating maintenance. Our expert technicians will visit your home every single year to thoroughly inspect, safely flush, and perfectly calibrate your unit. We keep your equipment entirely clean, whisper-quiet, and running at absolute peak efficiency.
For over 28 years, Burkee Climate Control has provided dependable, high-quality plumbing and HVAC solutions to our local community. We know exactly how to handle the unique challenges presented by local water supplies.
Do not ignore the warning signs echoing from your basement. Contact Burkee Climate Control today to silence your noisy water heater, explore our preventative maintenance plans, and safely secure your home’s hot water supply for the long haul.