Water heaters. Every home has one. But how much do we really know about the appliance? In a lot of cases, not much. For example, a lot of people don’t know that there’s what we call a pilot light in gas water heaters. And since a lot of people don’t know that it even exists, most people don’t know much about it or its maintenance.

So what is the purpose of this pilot light? Let’s work backwards on this. A water heater heats water. To have heat, you need warmth, which typically comes from fire. So that’s what the pilot light does. It kicks on and heats the water as needed. So that makes the pilot light pretty important, as without it, you wouldn’t get hot water.

So what do you do if the pilot light goes out?

First, you’ll want to find it. Some water heaters will have a door or a cover over it. Some will just have a small gap where you can see the pilot light. You’ll need some extra light to find the burner. A flashlight will work, but a headlamp of sorts may be best so you can still use two hands. You’ll be able to find the burner by following the two small gas tubes. They should lead right to it. Keep an eye on that as you work.

Next, locate the gas knob. You’ll want to turn it to “Pilot” and press and hold it down. Your water heater may have a separate red button to hold down instead. This will get the gas flowing so you can light the pilot. Some water heaters have an igniting button, usually black or red, while others will need to be lit manually with a longer lighter.

Once the flame is lit, you’ll need to keep holding down that pilot button for about a minute. When the time is up, you’ll want to slowly let off the button and make sure the flame remains.

Turn on the gas knob and listen. There should be a distinct noise, kind of like a “WHOOSH”. That sound means that the main burner is igniting, which is exactly what you want to happen.

And that’s it! Now just wait thirty to forty minutes for the water heater to do its job and you can enjoy your hot water, whether that be a nice relaxing shower or doing the dishes.

 

For more information, contact Vinny’s Jersey Plumbing, located in Wayne, New Jersey.  We also service other towns in New Jersey, such as Livingston, Saddle Brook and Lodi.