Short answer
If your water heater pilot keeps going out, make sure you do not smell gas. Turn the gas knob to OFF and wait at least 5 minutes. Then follow the label on the tank: knob to PILOT, press and hold it, push the igniter until it lights, and keep holding for about a minute. Turn it to ON. If it goes out again, call a plumber: it is often the thermocouple.
Safety first
If you smell gas, do not relight anything. Get everyone out, do not flip switches or use your phone inside, and call 911 or your gas company from outside. Follow the lighting label on your tank exactly, and never use a match on a heater with a sealed burner door.
How to relight a water heater pilot safely
1Pilot out? Check for gas first
Smell gas near the heater? Do not relight it. Get everyone out and call 911 or the gas company from outside.
Read all the steps
- Pilot out? Check for gas first. Smell gas near the heater? Do not relight it. Get everyone out and call 911 or the gas company from outside.
- Turn the knob to OFF and wait 5 minutes. This lets any gas around the burner clear out. Read the lighting label on the tank while you wait: your model may differ.
- Knob to PILOT, hold it, push the igniter. Press the knob down and keep it pressed. Click the igniter button until you see the small flame through the window.
- Keep holding for about a minute. The thermocouple, a thin rod in the flame, needs to heat up. It tells the gas valve the pilot is lit. Then let go slowly.
- Turn the knob to ON. The main burner should light with a soft whoosh. If the pilot goes out when you let go, or later that day, call a plumber.
- Still not fixed? Call a plumber Especially if: the pilot goes out again after you relight it, or will not light at all.
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Why the pilot keeps going out
- A worn or dirty thermocouple: the pilot lights while you hold the knob but goes out when you let go.
- A dirty pilot tube: the flame looks small, weak or yellow instead of steady.
- A draft: wind down the vent, an open window or a fan near the heater can blow it out.
- Not enough air: a heater shut in a tight closet, or a clogged air intake screen at the bottom.
- A safety shutoff: many newer heaters lock out after sensing fumes or overheating. That needs a plumber.
What not to do
- Do not relight it over and over. If it will not stay lit after two tries, stop and call.
- Do not use a match or lighter on a heater with a sealed burner door or a built-in igniter.
- Do not store paint, gasoline or cleaning products near the heater. Their fumes can catch fire at the pilot.
- Do not tape over the vent or the air intake to stop drafts.
When to call a plumber
- The pilot goes out again after you relight it, or will not light at all.
- Any gas smell (call 911 or the gas company first, from outside).
- The flame is yellow or smoky, or there is soot around the burner door.
- The heater shows a blinking status light or a lockout.
- Your other gas appliances are out too (call your gas company).
Frequently asked questions
Why does my water heater pilot light keep going out?
Most often a worn thermocouple, the sensor that keeps the gas on while the pilot burns. Drafts, a dirty pilot tube and a lack of air come next. If it goes out after you relight it, call a plumber.
Is it safe to relight a water heater pilot light?
Yes, if you do not smell gas and you follow the label on the tank. If you smell gas, leave the house and call from outside instead.
How long should I hold the pilot button?
Usually about a minute after the pilot lights, or what the label says. That gives the thermocouple time to heat up.
Why won't my pilot light stay lit when I let go?
That is the classic sign of a bad thermocouple, or one that is not sitting in the flame. It is a small part and a quick repair for a plumber.
Can a draft blow out a water heater pilot?
Yes. Wind coming down the vent, a nearby fan or an open window can do it. Keep the area around the heater calm, but never block the air intake.
Does a gas water heater work during a power outage?
A model with a standing pilot usually keeps working, because it needs no electricity. Models with electronic ignition or a power vent stop until the power comes back.