Fix Your Gas Water Heater Not Heating
When your gas water heater is not heating water correctly it becomes a priority especially if you have a large family. There are some steps you can take on your own to troubleshoot your gas water heater not heating without calling a plumber. This guide will help you diagnose the problem fast.
Before you do anything there are some safety precautions that need to be followed first. If at any time you smell a gas leak get everyone out of the home and call your natural gas company.
You can also have your gas company check for carbon monoxide which is a dangerous byproduct of natural gas appliances that if not vented properly can be deadly. If you are not sure about troubleshooting your gas water heater call a professional.
Make sure the natural gas line valve is turned on
Check the water heater gas supply line and that the valve is turned on. If you have other gas appliances check to see if they are working. If your other gas appliances work then you know the home is receiving gas from the main gas meter.
Check the water heater gas control valve and pilot
The most common reason a gas water heater isn’t heating is the pilot flame is not lit. The gas control valve controls the pilot and is located on the side or lower front of your water heater. The knob for this control valve should be in the “ON” position.
If the knob is in the “Pilot or Off” position locate the pilot flame viewer and verify that the pilot flame is burned out. Follow the instructions that should be posted on the water heater to re-light the pilot flame manually.
Your model water heater may have a spark ignitor for lighting the pilot flame. In this case following the instructions on the water heater. The control knob is set to off for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes turn the knob to pilot. Push the knob in with your thumb while using your other hand to activate the igniter. Keep holding the control knob in for the pilot until the sensor reaches temperature and keeps the pilot flame lit when you release the control knob.
Bad pilot thermocouple sensor
If resetting the pilot flame doesn’t work it may be that the thermocouple sensor needs cleaned or replaced. This sensor is a safety device that tells the gas control valve that the pilot flame is lit it sits inside the pilot flame.
If the thermocouple is dirty or bad the signal doesn’t get to the gas valve to keep gas flowing to the pilot or open to allow gas to the burners.
Test, clean or replace the thermocouple
The easiest way to know if the thermocouple is bad is to test for continuity using a multi-tester. If the test shows it is bad replace the thermocouple. You can also try to clean the thermocouple by using a wire brush sometimes this can be a quick temporary fix. If all else fails replace it.
Check the water heater burners and combustion area
Lint, dust dirt and debris can block oxygen from reaching the flames choking the fire and blocking burners. When this happens the water inside the tank cannot heat to temperature.
Clean the burners and tray of all debris. Some burner assemblies can be removed for this task. If not use a vacuum and brush to remove as much debris as possible from the burners, flame arrestor and screens.
If all of these do it yourself fixes fail to get your water heater working again it may be due to a bad gas control valve or other issue that requires the help of a professional.
By Peter Carr
