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Plumbing Problems
A pilot that will not stay lit leaves you with cold water, and it can also be a gas safety issue. Here is what is usually going on and where to draw the line.
Short answer: A pilot that keeps going out is most often a worn thermocouple, a dirty pilot, or a draft or venting problem. A pilot that goes out is the safety system doing its job, but if you smell gas at any point, you leave first and call from outside.
If you smell gas, do not touch the heater. Leave the house with everyone in it, do not flip a light switch or use anything that could spark, and call your gas or propane company or 911 once you are outside. Propane suppliers and gas utilities all give the same steps. The full list is on the page smell gas in the house.
Once the house has been cleared and the gas company says it is safe, a leak in the water heater line is a repair for a licensed plumber. Ryan does gas leak detection and gas line work. Do not turn gas back on if it was shut off because of a safety problem.
If you do not smell gas, a pilot that went out is common and usually not an emergency. The rest of this page is for that case.
A standing pilot is a small flame that stays lit to light the main burner. A safety device watches it. If the pilot goes out, the device shuts off the gas so raw gas does not build up. That is on purpose. When the pilot keeps going out, one of a few parts or conditions is usually behind it.
Pilot out and you are not sure why?
Text Ryan a photo of the heater and the label on the tank, and tell him what happens when you relight it. He is a licensed Master Plumber and answers his own phone, day or night.
Every gas water heater has relighting steps printed on a label on the tank. Use those, not a video for a different model. The manufacturer's steps change from model to model, and they include waiting time for any leftover gas to clear. Here is the general approach.
Newer heaters often have no standing pilot. They use an electronic igniter and may show a blinking light that signals a problem. The label usually explains the pattern. If you cannot tell which kind you have, a photo to Ryan is a quick way to find out.
A lot of homes and cabins in the mountains run on propane. Check the gauge on the tank before you assume the heater is bad. A tank that ran empty is one of the simplest reasons for a pilot that will not light. If the tank has been refilled, a plumber may need to purge air from the line before the heater lights.
Water heaters in basements and crawlspaces also catch drafts and dust. A crawlspace vent left open in winter, a window near the unit or a new fan in the room can pull air across the pilot. If the pilot goes out when the furnace or a fan kicks on, mention that when you text. It helps Ryan find the cause faster. If the heater is also making noise, see water heater making noise.
Carbon monoxide is the other gas risk with fuel-burning appliances. It has no smell. A blocked vent can send it into the house, which is one more reason a pilot that keeps failing deserves a proper look. The carbon monoxide and gas appliances guide explains the warning signs.
Ryan checks the thermocouple, the pilot, the flue and the gas control, and tells you what he finds. A worn part is often a straightforward repair. If the tank is old or leaking, he will tell you that too. Water heater repair and replacement jobs typically run about $500 to $2,000 depending on the unit and the job, and the estimate is free before any work. There is no trip fee and no diagnostic fee. If the pilot is only one of several problems, the page on no hot water at all covers the rest of the gas and electric path.
That usually points to a worn or dirty thermocouple. The thermocouple tells the gas valve that a flame is present. If it is weak, the valve shuts the gas off a few seconds after you release the knob.
If you do not smell gas, relighting once using the steps printed on your water heater is a normal first step. If you smell gas, do not relight. Leave the house and call your gas or propane company or 911 from outside.
Leave first. Do not flip switches or use anything that could spark. Call your gas or propane company or 911 from outside. After that, call Ryan for the repair once it is safe.
Yes. A downdraft, a blocked flue, or air pulled across the pilot by a fan or an open vent can blow it out or weaken it. Note when it goes out and tell the plumber.
A full tank rules out one cause. A shut-off valve, a worn thermocouple, a dirty pilot or a failing gas control can still keep it from staying lit.
Not always. A worn thermocouple is a small repair. If the tank is old, leaking or has other problems, replacement may make more sense. Ryan gives a free estimate and tells you which one fits.
Call or text. Text is often fastest up here. Free estimate, no trip fee, no diagnostic fee.