An annoying and frustrating issue to deal with is when the pilot’s light flame on your gas water heater goes out. When your water heater’s pilot light won’t stay lit, you’re left without hot water, which makes something as simple as taking a shower annoying. You naturally ask yourself, “Why did this happen? Are there any hints or techniques to restart it? How can I have it fixed? What kind of expenses can I anticipate?” Fortunately, if your water heater pilot light goes out, you should be aware that it is a common issue and requires little effort to fix.
If you don’t know much about water heaters and your water heater won’t stay light, let us walk you through some of the most frequent causes of this problem and how to fix it.
Why Won’t My Water Heater Light?
Reason 1: Dirty Pilot Tube
The pilot tube may become clogged with dirt and debris, obstructing the flow of gas. As a result, the pilot runs out of fuel and cannot continue to burn. This is another potential reason if the pilot won’t light at all. Fortunately, the simplest problem to fix is a dirty pilot tube.
How to Fix
All you need is a needle to gently remove any debris after inserting it into the pilot hole. Depending on how much debris there is in the tube, this procedure might need a few tries to finish. Lighting the pilot and observing whether it does so properly and continues to do so will allow you to determine whether this step was successful. Blue is the color of a healthy flame.
Reason 2: Kink In The Flex Tube
The flex tubing is yet another potential cause of the pilot light’s inability to stay lit. The gas controller is connected to this tubing. The burner systems and pilot light will receive a constant supply of gas as a result. This tubing may occasionally twist, wear out, or degrade, which will obstruct proper gas flow. The problem should be solved by straightening the tubing if it has become twisted. If the tube is bent, worn, or damaged, or if straightening it doesn’t work, new tubing needs to be installed. To help you install new flex tubing for your gas water heater, a plumber might be required.
How to Fix
The simplest solution may be to simply look for and undo any kinks in the tube. It’s possible that the thermocouple is malfunctioning if the issue continues.
Reason 3: Obstruction In The Thermocouple
The most frequent reason for a pilot light to go out again after lighting or to not relight is a damaged thermocouple. Gas-powered heating appliances must have thermocouples. Gas may leak into the area around a water heater if the pilot light on the unit ever goes out, posing a risk of an explosion and a health hazard.
Appliances use a thermocouple as a fail-safe circuit to determine whether the pilot light is still burning in order to avoid this from happening. The pilot gas valve is kept open and the thermocouple stays warm when the pilot light is still burning. When the pilot light goes out, the temperature of the thermocouple drops, which lowers the voltage across the thermocouple and causes the valve to close. But if the thermocouple is broken, the gas valve won’t open, which could prevent the pilot light from lighting. A qualified plumber will typically be needed to fix this issue.
How to Fix
A cool thermocouple should be used. The next step is to gently sand the surface to remove any grime using a piece of fine-grit sandpaper.
This should guarantee that the component is operating correctly. The replacement of the thermocouple may be required due to component failure if this approach is unsuccessful in solving the issue.
Reason 4: Damaged Thermocouple
This is a more serious scenario because it might necessitate replacing the component. Damage could mean that the sensor is too far away from the pilot light or that the entire device is no longer functional.
How To Fix
Check the thermocouple. When the pilot is lit, the sensor at the end should barely touch the flame. If it has twisted away from the flame, budge it back gently.
It is recommended to use a multimeter to test a thermocouple that is clean and free of damage. It should read higher than 20MV. Any reading below this is an immediate indication that the thermocouple needs to be replaced because it is damaged.
Reason 5: Main Control Valve
Out of all the issues you can diagnose on your own, this is the one you want to avoid. The best way to identify a bad control valve is to exhaust all other possibilities first.
This is almost certainly the culprit because all other possibilities have been ruled out and the thermocouple displays results on the multimeter.
How To Fix
A bad control valve can only be replaced; there is no other solution. When compared to other do-it-yourself issues, this one can be more expensive and challenging for those without prior experience.
How Can You Tell If Your Thermocouple Is Having Problems?
Your water heater has a feature called a thermocouple that senses the heat from the pilot light and lets gas flow to the burner. People notice that the pilot light on their water heater is out because a bad thermocouple will cut off the gas to both the burner and the pilot.
The pilot light on your water heater functions in tandem with other components. Your thermocouple automatically turns off the gas to your water heater as a safety measure when it discovers an unlit pilot.
It is most likely that your device is broken if you find that your thermocouple is actually broken, which means there are no signs of being bent or dirty. You’ll need to replace the device or have it expertly repaired to resolve this problem. This is a good place to make some clarifications.
How Do I Change The Thermocouple In A Water Heater?
Repairs for water heaters are occasionally requested from HVAC companies. You’re better off calling a qualified plumber for assistance even though some people can complete this task. If you live in the area, we are plumbers in Arlington, Texas, and we can regularly replace the thermocouple in your hot water heater for you.
However, there is some good news. This repair is simple, and a handy homeowner can replace a thermocouple in the majority of cases for a low cost and in under an hour.
Can I Change The Thermocouple On My Own?
Yes, if you enjoy doing things yourself, you might be able to replace the thermocouple yourself. The burner assembly and thermocouple assembly can be removed in its entirety by turning off the gas valve first. However, calling a professional is preferable and safer if you have no idea how to perform minor repairs. A technician can also check your water heater for additional problems and provide guidance or tips for any ongoing or potential issues.
If A Thermocouple Is Not Broken, How To Fix it?
Though it’s possible that your thermocouple is still functional. If it’s dirty, an interruption in the pilot’s electric current could result in a gas leak. To clean your thermocouple, follow these simple instructions:
Find the thermocouple first, then use some sandpaper to clean it. Always remember to shut off the gas before you start cleaning and to make sure that your thermocouple is cool.
If your attempt at water heater thermocouple cleaning doesn’t fix the problem, the issue may be that it’s bent. Due to its inability to detect heat when bent a certain distance away from the pilot light, it becomes inoperable.
This can also be easily fixed: bend the thermocouple back into its original position. Make sure to bend the thermocouple back until it is barely touched by the pilot flame and is close enough to the pilot flame. If this is the issue, using the aforementioned steps will typically make it simple to fix.
When Should The Thermocouple Not Be Replaced?
A “closed” burner chamber, which is challenging to access, is present in some gas water heaters. For this kind of heater, we advise calling a service technician. Additionally, some gas water heaters lack pilot lights. These should also be fixed by experts.
Conclusion
Your hot water heater thermocouple or pilot light issues can be resolved by a professional if you have tried the steps above and your water heater pilot light still won’t stay lit.