What happens when water heater pilot light goes out?
If the pilot light goes out, your water heater won’t be able to ignite the gas burner and therefore, won’t be able to heat the water. In fact, often the first clue your pilot light is out is the discovery that you don’t have hot water.
What happens if the pilot light goes out on a hot water heater?
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.
Is there a gas leak if my pilot light goes out?
Does the gas keep flowing? 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.
Why does my water pilot keep going out?
Therefore, a dirty thermocouple might be the reason why your water pilot keeps going out. A layer of dirt and grime can hinder the electric current from reaching the thermocouple. As a result, the gas supply will be cut off and the pilot light will go out.
What should I do if my gas heater pilot goes out?
This can be very dangerous if the pilot has been out for hours, and the gas has been leaking the whole time. Always check for a gas leak before the pilot is ever relit. Checking for a gas leak is easy enough, just sniff around to see if you detect a bad smell that smells like eggs rotting.
What if the pilot goes out on a gas heater?
Gas heaters, whether they warm up air or water in a home, rely on a pilot light to trigger the flame of the actual heater . If this pilot light ever goes out, the heater has no way of actually turning on to heat the water or air that your particular type of heater circulates to warm the house or other elements.
Why water heater pilot does not stay on?
When it will not stay lit it is a sign of a defective ‘thermocouple’. The thermocouple senses heat from the pilot light and sends a signal back to the gas valve. When they fail the gas valve will not open. See the discussion on ‘gas water heater thermocouples ‘ for more information.
Why does my gas water heater keep shutting off?
If your gas water heater keeps shutting off, the thermocouple could be dirty, bent or damaged. The thermocouple is usually easily visible next to the pilot light. Inspect the thermocouple to determine if it is dirty or damaged in some way. If it is dirty, turn off the gas to allow the thermocouple to cool.
What’s wrong with my gas water heater?
Gas hot water heater problems are sometimes very obvious. A faulty valve itself may cause a leak from the pressure release valve. If this is the case, replace the pressure release valve immediately. A faulty pressure relief valve can cause serious damage to your water heater, including the possibility of it exploding.
