Water Heater leaking and need to shut it down before it floods the room?

How to Relight a Gas Water Heater

Need help with your

water heater?

​To relight a gas water heater, always check the side of the water heater or your owner’s manual first for step-by-step instructions.  The manufacturer will typically advise you to:

Turn gas valve’s dial to “Off” and wait before relighting pilot.

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  1. Turn the gas valve to OFF and wait a few minutes.
  2. Turn the gas valve to PILOT and push down on it (or a red button next to it). Hold it down to begin the flow of gas through the pilot gas supply tube.
  3. Holding the button or valve down, wait for the pilot indicator to light or, if your water heater requires manual lighting, use a barbecue lighter to ignite the gas at the end of the supply tube. You may have to hold the flame there for a few seconds if air is in the line.
  4. Continue holding down the control button for a minute or so after the pilot is lit, long enough for the pilot to heat the thermocouple, a heat sensor that automatically shuts off the gas when the pilot goes out. Then release the control button.
  5. If the pilot won’t light or goes out again, turn the valve to OFF, wait a few minutes, and then repeat the process.
  6. Once the pilot light stays lit after you release the control button, turn the control to the ON position. At this point, depending on the thermostat control setting, the burner should ignite.
  7. If the pilot doesn’t light or stay lit after a couple of attempts, call Flush Plumbing for help 303-660-6006!

303-660-6006​

​Before doing any maintenance on your water heater yourself, be sure to shut off the power, and read your owner's manual.

You should also periodically inspect your water heater burner. The flame under the heater should appear blue with yellow tips.  If it’s mostly yellow, or if it’s sooty under there, your flue may be clogged, which is a dangerous situation.  Contact us to check it out.

We recommend having your water heater inspected by a service technician every year. He or she will also check the drain valve for signs of leakage, and the anode rods for corrosion.