QA

Question: How To Start A Hot Water Heater

What do I do if my water heater won’t light?

If you have a natural or propane gas water heater, chances are the pilot has gone out. If the pilot doesn’t relight, if it goes out right after lighting or if it goes out repeatedly, by far the most common cause is a bad thermocouple.

How do you light an electric hot water heater?

Lighting A Hot Water Heater Pilot Light Set the temperature control. to its lowest setting. Set the on-off control. to the pilot setting. Press the hot water heater. pilot button down and. hold it. While looking through the the sight glass slowly press the spark generator until you here it click. You should see a spark.

Where is the reset button on a water heater?

Somewhere on your electric water heater, you’ll find a reset button. It’s usually red and often located near the thermostat. It may also be hidden behind a removable metal panel on the unit—and then behind some insulation. Once you find the button, push and release it.

What trips the reset button on a hot water heater?

The high resistance caused by a loose wire produces a substantial amount of heat that can eventually cause fires. If there is a loose electrical connection within your water heater’s system, your reset button’s thermometer can trip (regardless of the water’s temperature) if it picks up the heat from that loose wire.

Why does my water heater won’t turn on?

A water heater that produces no hot water may not be getting power, may have a tripped limit switch, or may have one or more failed heating elements. First, check the water heater’s circuit breaker in the service panel to make sure it hasn’t tripped. If the breaker has tripped, switch it off, then switch it back on.

Can you manually light a water heater?

Lighting the Pilot Light on a Manual Hot Water Heater If your hot water heater is a manual, grab a long lighter. Now, hold the pilot dial down while you light the burner. You’re going to hold the pilot button down for at least 30 seconds before you release it.

Can I manually light my gas water heater?

Lighting a water heater is simple, no matter what type you have. Most newer models of gas water heaters have a simple ignition switch. In just a few steps the water heater is lit, no problem. If you’ve moved into an older house, though, you many have the kind of water heater that needs to be lit manually.

What do you do if the pilot light goes out?

If possible, shut off the main gas supply valve by turning it clockwise (to the right). Once at a safe distance, report the potential gas leak to your propane dealer or 911. Do not return to the building until a qualified service technician or EMT says that the building and gas system are safe.

Does my electric water heater have a pilot light?

There’s no gas or pilot light involved in electric water heaters. If the power to your electric water heater is off, you may have an electrical issue requiring professional assistance.

Do electric heaters have a pilot light?

Although today’s standard electric furnace uses a hot surface ignition, older models often use an intermittent pilot to ignite heat. If you can’t get the pilot in your electric furnace to light, it’s usually a simple matter to turn it back on.

How do I know if my water heater thermostat is bad?

If you turn the hot water tap and cold water runs out, then the upper thermostat is damaged. But if the water is hot that becomes later becomes cold, then you have a damaged lower thermostat.

Why does my hot water heater keep hitting the reset button?

This indicates that the thermostats are bad or going bad. The reset button usually trips for safety to prevent the tank from overheating and potentially becoming a bomb. If your heater is continuously tripping you should call a Orlando plumbing company to replace the thermostats.

What causes a water heater to need to be reset?

A bad thermostat One common thermostat problem with electric water heaters occurs when the lower thermostat becomes “stuck” in the ON position and doesn’t cycle the lower element off properly. When this happens, heat builds up in the upper portion of the storage tank, which will eventually trip the reset button.

Why does the reset button keep popping out?

Circuit breakers in your home—in your basement, probably—are designed to trip (i.e., shut off power) if their load becomes too heavy. If too much power is flowing through an outlet—say, because a device has fallen into water—the power is automatically cut off, and the RESET button pops out.

Why can’t I reset my water heater?

What do you do if the water heater reset button doesn’t reset? You might have a faulty thermostat. If the hot water heater keeps tripping the reset button, the cause may be the high limit switch. What’s happening is that the thermostat is not properly managing the heat.

What causes a gas water heater to stop working?

No Hot Water — Gas Water Heater. If a gas water heater isn’t heating, a common problem is usually that the pilot light has gone out. This may be caused by the gas valve, the natural gas supply, or—more likely—the thermocouple located next to the pilot light.

How do you manually ignite a water heater?

Look for the sticker and button attached outside the unit. If there is an igniter button, you have an automatic unit. If there is no button, you have a manual unit that should be relighted with a lighter.