A hot water heater pilot light is an essential component of any gas hot water heater. In fact, it’s necessary to ignite the gas burner every time your water needs to be heated! When your pilot light is out, you simply won’t have any hot water being delivered throughout your home.

If you are experiencing no hot water at all, the culprit is often a pilot light that has gone out. Relighting your hot water heater pilot light is simple and requires no tools, so you’ll soon have everything back up and running so you can enjoy warm water again. Before beginning this water heater DIY fix, we always recommend that you consult your water heater’s owner’s manual first.

1. The first step in relighting a hot water heater pilot light is to turn the gas regulator valve to the “off” position and wait for 5 minutes or so for any residual gas to dissipate.
2. Open the door or cover to access the pilot light, usually found below the gas valve. Some hot water heaters feature a glass window that allows you to see the pilot light without having to remove a cover.
3. Next, turn the gas regulator to the “pilot” setting and press the pilot button down and hold it. This will start the gas flow so that the flame can be lit.
4. While holding the pilot button down, use the ignite button to light the pilot. Older gas water heater models may require you to use a long barbecue lighter or match to manually light the pilot.
5. Continue to hold the pilot button down for about 30 seconds after it is lit so the thermocouple has time to get hot. This is necessary as the thermocouple will automatically shut off the gas if it senses that the pilot light is out.
6. Once the pilot light is staying lit, turn the gas regulator valve to the “on” position and replace any covers you removed.

If you find that your pilot light won’t stay lit, you should seek the help of a water heater repair expert. Working around natural gas can be incredibly dangerous, so any repairs should be trusted to a professional for the safety of you and your family.

Still need help with your hot water heater pilot light? Our technicians would be happy to help! Contact Evam Canada today for your water heater maintenance, repair and installation needs in the GTA and beyond. Call at 1-905-624-5544 or contact us online to schedule your appointment!