Letting go of the button too soon
Most lighting instructions say to hold the pilot button for a set time after it lights, so the thermocouple can heat up. Releasing early is a common reason it goes out.
Water heater problem
Water heater pilot won't stay lit?
If the pilot lights but goes out when you let go of the button, or keeps going out on its own, the cause is often the thermocouple, a dirty pilot, a draft or the air supply. Some checks are safe for you. The gas parts are not.
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What's likely going on
These are typical causes, not a diagnosis. A pro looking at yours can tell you which it is.
A worn or dirty thermocouple
The thermocouple senses the pilot flame and keeps the gas valve open. If it's worn, dirty or out of position, the pilot goes out when you let go.
A weak or dirty pilot flame
A pilot flame that's small, yellow or flickering may not heat the thermocouple enough. That can mean a clogged pilot.
Drafts or a blocked air supply
A draft near the tank, or lint and dust blocking the air intake at the bottom, can starve or blow out the flame.
A venting safety shut-off
Some heaters have a sensor that shuts the burner off if exhaust isn't venting properly. If that's tripping, it needs a pro.
Safe things to check yourself
- Smell before anythingSniff around the tank first. If you smell gas, stop, don't relight, and leave the house.
- Read the label on the tankThe lighting instructions are printed on the tank. Follow them exactly, including how long to wait before relighting and how long to hold the button.
- Watch the flameThrough the viewing window, a healthy pilot is usually steady and mostly blue. If it's small, yellow or flickering, take a short video.
- Stop the draftsClose nearby doors or windows that blow on the tank, and point any fans away from it.
- Clear around the baseMove boxes, laundry and anything flammable well away. If lint or dust has built up around the bottom, vacuum around the outside gently. Don't remove any covers.
Stop and leave it to a licensed gas fitter
- You smell gas. Don't light anything or flip switches. Leave the house and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
- A carbon monoxide alarm goes off. Get everyone out and call 911.
- You see scorch marks around the burner door, or flames coming out of it.
- The pilot still won't stay lit after you've followed the label instructions carefully.
Replacing a thermocouple, cleaning a pilot, or touching the gas valve, gas line or burner is gas work for a licensed gas fitter. A Hollr pro won't walk you through it on a call.
Show a water heater pro on video
Point your phone at it and a water heater pro tells you what's likely going on, what's safe to try next and whether it needs someone on site. $34 for 15 minutes or $59 for 30, and you only pay when a pro connects. Hollr is launching across Canada, so join the waitlist for your invite.
Questions
Advice only: Hollr pros diagnose and guide over video, and refer anything that needs hands on site. Live electrical panels and gas lines are never walked through on a call.
Why does my pilot go out when I let go of the button?
Most often the thermocouple isn't getting hot enough, or isn't signalling the gas valve to stay open. Holding the button for the full time on the label sometimes helps. If it keeps happening, the thermocouple or pilot likely needs a licensed gas fitter.
Is it safe to relight a water heater pilot myself?
If you don't smell gas and you follow the lighting instructions on the tank exactly, many homeowners relight their own pilot. If you smell gas, or you're unsure, don't. Leave it to a licensed pro.
Can I replace the thermocouple myself?
It connects to the gas control valve, so it's gas work. Gas work is regulated in most provinces and should be done by a licensed gas fitter.
Can a pro help with a pilot light over video?
Yes, for working out what's wrong. On a Hollr call, a pro can watch the flame with you, read the label and tell you whether it's worth another try or needs a gas fitter on site. They never walk you through work on the gas valve or line.