Cleaning Gas Water Heater Pilot

Relight the pilot light too and wait to see if the water will heat up.

Cleaning gas water heater pilot. If necessary unthread any mounting screws and remove the burner access cover. Use a slender needle to gently unclog the tube. If it does congratulations. Reopen the shutoff valve relight the pilot then turn the control valve to on.

Turn on the water heater. Be aware you may need to detach a pilot supply tube as well. If there is a thick layer of dust or dirt on your hot water heater use a shop vac to take off as much dust as possible. When the gas burner comes on use a 50 50 dish soap water mix to test the screw joints for air bubbles that indicate leaks.

Open a hot water tap close. Although an increasing number of gas water heaters have electronic igniters many still rely on a pilot light to ignite the burner when the. Unthread the nut to detach the burner supply tube from the gas or control valve. Occasionally or at least seasonally check the gas pilot orifice for soot or oxidation buildup.

Allow the tank to drain completely flushing out flakes of mineral deposits along with the cooled water. The flame will go out if the tube is clogged with dirt or debris. Open the drain valve at the bottom of the hot water heater tank. Thorough cleaning should do the trick.

The gas pilot cleaner is a tool kit that allows you to clean a gas pilot assembly easily without removing the orifice or pilot assembly from equipment. You must have the pilot lit and the burner on for this test so that gas is flowing through the large tube. A blast of compressed air or a quick turn with a water heater cleaning brush can keep the gas pilot tube and surrounding parts clean and in good working order. Use the crevice attachment to clean underneath the tank around the pipes and behind the hot water heater.

After scrubbing further clean the thermocouple of the water heater with a microfiber cloth to remove excess particles. Step 3 wipe the hot water heater down with a dry cloth to get rid of as much dry dirt as possible. How to fix a plugged pilot hole on a water heater.