After turning off and on gas to install a grill, other appliances work, but heater pilot won't light?!?
Question:We turned the gas off to install a valve for a gas bbq on the end of a hose that was already built into the house. That went well. We turned the gas back on, and some other gas related things came on, and the BBQ worked, but our (less than a year old) water heater will not re-light. Our fireplace also does not work.
We did everything according to instructions, set to 'pilot', hold one button down while pushing the ignitor, keep the former button pushed, nothing. There's no spark or anything, it simply will not light for even a second.
Since everything else works fine (except fireplace), the gas can't be the problem. The water heater was working perfectly right before we turned it off, and the water heater is only a few months old, and was professionally installed.
Any suggestions before we pay someone to come out and fix this in three seconds or something?
Thank you!!
Answers:
Couple things: 1) most utility companies will check this stuff out for free. 2) most newer gas appliances do not have a "pilot" like they used to. They are now electronic ignition, yet the valves on said units still have a pilot function. In these cases that function is not used. Turn the valve all the way to on and turn the temp up to see if it sparks.
3) speaking of sparks - you mentioned it does not spark. If it used to spark, then it is indeed an electronic ignition - sparking only when there is a demand for gas. Pilots will not spark, but will simply put out a small amount of gas for you to light with a match or lighter.
Hope that helps.
Sometimes when you add a new fixture air is introduced to the gas lines. That air must be purged if it is causing this problem for you. This is a problem that is just going to require patience. Hold the pilot button down for for 5 minutes while continuously clicking the igniter. Once the pilot is lit the pilot must be held for about 30 seconds before the sensor that senses flame opens the valve to keep the pilot on automatically. Then return the gas valve back to the position marked on.
it is unusual for two gas appliances to become defective at the same time, with that in mind there are two possible explanations.
1. not enough gas to keep the pilot lights lit (which is very unlikely).
2, bad thermostats.
test...hold fire to thermostat for min or two while holding the button down...pilot lt should be lit also...release as normal and if the pilot goes out then it is your thermostat.
that's the long skinny thing that the flame touches...screws in up top, follow the wire...
replace...cost maybe 7-15 dollars...
if that doesn't work then bring in a pro...items maybe under warrenty...
You don't say if you turned the gas control completely off on the appliances that will not light. Try turning the control "Off" for a minute and then to "Pilot", light the pilot, holding down the control until the pilot remains lighted, then turn to "On." If this doesn't work, the thermocouples may have failed to sense flame. It seems improbable that both the water heater and fireplace thermocouples would both go bad, but changing them is cheaper than a service call.
There is a thermal coupling that senses the heat from the pilot light that keeps the pilot lit. This is a safety feature so if the pilot goes out gas will not get into your home.
Get 2 matches and put one flame on the thermal coupling for a few seconds and the other on the end of the pilot when you go to light it, and it should work!
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