My wife and I moved into a new "townhouse" apartment. Aside from the home I grew up in, this is the first place I ever had that had a natural gas hot water heater. The other apartments I lived in had hot water that came from somewhere.

Ok, on to the subject. We moved in about a week ago. Since then, our hot water heater had it's pilot constantly going out. I called the landlord a few times and he came back and re-lit the thing. Once re-lit, it would heat the water back up and then the pilot would go out once again. Last night, it went out again, so I decided to learn how to light it on my own after watching him light it a few times.

I checked the pilot this morning and it was still on! After taking our showers, I checked again and I could hear the gas heating the water up.

Now here's the meat and potatoes of this post: In the lighting process, I noticed that when he lit the pilot (by pressing the red button and holding the match to it), he did not continue holding the red button for one minute after it was lit, as per the instructions. I followed the instructions (can you believe that??) perfectly and now it seems to work. What does holding that red button down for 1 minute AFTER the pilot is lit supposed to do?

 

Holding the red button down allows the thermocouple to heat up to temperature where it will allow the natural gas to stay on. The thermocouple is a safety device that shuts the natural gas off if you lose the temperature of the flame.

 

Is it possible by not holding the red button for the extra minute for the pilot to have enough gas to kick off the burner but then go out shortly thereafter.. so then when the water heater heats the water up to temp, there is no pilot remaining to kick it off again? Perhaps that was the error in their ways?

Wow, sometimes it's amazing and mind-boggling that following directions works once in a while!

 

I'd say that either the thermo couple is going junk or you have enough negative pressure in the house that air is rushing down the flu and blowing the pilot out. Usually that doesn't happen in a home or apartment but I have seen it happen.

I'd bet on the thermo couple though.

 

also you should not use a match to light it. there should be a red starter button.

 

If it is the wind blowing it out (there is a door to the outside about 15 feet away..), is there a safe way to keep the breeze away from the heater? From what I can tell, the heater is brand new.. all appliances, plumbing, etc were replaced before we moved in. In fact I saw the place before it was put in when we were looking for apartments.. so perhaps it's defective or the breeze blowing it out when I open the door. The door also is missing insulation on the bottom, maybe there's enough air current to blow the pilot out?

As from what I could read, there isn't anything to lite the pilot other than a match. I used fire place matches to get it.

 

what model water heater? there should be a electric push button starter just like what is used on BBQ'S

 

To be honest, I've never seen a peizio starter on a water heater.

 

I've never heard of a HOT water heater. I usually heat cold water. hehe

 

If you can confirm that the wind is in fact blowing it out, have a look at the size of the pilot light and consider increasing the size of it.

 

The thermocoupler could be weak, and not holding a current all the time. The tip of the thermocoulper could be bent/out of adjustment, so that it is not sticking into the pilot flame enough to keep it hot and generate enough electricty to stay open.

Or, depending on where your heater is located, if there is a door that seals it from the rest of the house, how air tight your house is, you could be creating a negative pressure and sucking air back down the flue and blowing out the pilot when you trun on the clothes dryer.

Turn on the dryer and watch the pilot. You may have to open a window a few inches near the dryer when you dry clothes. The dryer thing has happened before.

 

really? that is the only thing sold here since the early 90's now they are sealed units with glass bottoms and trap doors. so if there is a ignition from vapors the trap door will shut and contain the fire.

 

There's usually a wind break in front of the pilot light. On some models it slides left or right.

 

That would explain it. I've never had to deal with a heater newer than '90. The one in my house is currently un-dated, but the boiler it's sitting next to has a initial inspection date of 1963. I would imagine the water heater is of a similar vintage since a plumber I had out called it a 'real antique'.

 

We don't have a clothes dryer yet.. the place has a hookup for one, but there is no weather stripping under the door - Whomever put the door in never weather stripped it, so there could be a draft. Even still, I imagine the little doors on the heater are enough to keep the wind out? I still have no way of confirming whether it's wind or not.

Someone did mention having the pilot light flame increased but that's something that is beyond my expertise. I don't know what I am doing with these and besides, technically it's the land lord's responsibility to get this thing fixed right. Hopefully the thing will decide to stay lit, we'll see.