Is a gas water heater supposed to stay lit?
The burner on your water heater should not stay on all the time. The burner should only light when hot water is needed. However, your water heater’s pilot light should remain on at all times.
What to do if your water heater won’t stay lit?
Thermostatic Control or Gas Valve If your gas water heater doesn’t stay lit, you may have a defective control thermostat. This control is part of the gas valve assembly and normally has a dial that will allow for temperature adjustment and will also have a probe that monitors the water temperature.
Why does my water heater stay on for 15 minutes?
The fact that it stays on for 15 minutes makes me think this may not be the issue, but depending on the model, there may be a delay after lighting the pilot before this activates. The next concern is a lack of ventilation. Make sure fresh air can get to the water heater. Get out the vacuum and cleanup all those cobwebs and flammable dust balls.
How does the pilot light work on a water heater?
When the water heater is first lit, a valve releases gas into the burner, and the pilot light ignites that gas. After about 30 seconds, heat from the ignited pilot light flame activates a simple electrical switch called a thermocouple which ensures that the gas supply to the pilot stays open and your water heater keeps functioning.
How does a gas fired water heater work?
Most gas fired water heaters use a standing pilot to ignite the main burner. The gas for the pilot assembly is supplied by the main gas valve and is monitored by the thermocouple. The thermocouple is a heat sensing probe that is part of the pilot assembly and sits just above the pilot flame.
Thermostatic Control or Gas Valve If your gas water heater doesn’t stay lit, you may have a defective control thermostat. This control is part of the gas valve assembly and normally has a dial that will allow for temperature adjustment and will also have a probe that monitors the water temperature.
Why does my gas water heater keep going out?
If you can light your pilot light, but it keeps going out, the first item to check is the thermocouple. When the water heater is first lit, a valve releases gas into the burner, and the pilot light ignites that gas.
When the water heater is first lit, a valve releases gas into the burner, and the pilot light ignites that gas. After about 30 seconds, heat from the ignited pilot light flame activates a simple electrical switch called a thermocouple which ensures that the gas supply to the pilot stays open and your water heater keeps functioning.
Most gas fired water heaters use a standing pilot to ignite the main burner. The gas for the pilot assembly is supplied by the main gas valve and is monitored by the thermocouple. The thermocouple is a heat sensing probe that is part of the pilot assembly and sits just above the pilot flame.
