your video saved me! my pilot lite wouldn't lite back up so i decided to google my problem and it led me straight to your video. I was told by a plumber that my 8 yr old water heater needed to be replaced, it wasn't worth fixing the control box (which is what he said the issue was) and pouring money into something that was old and needed to be replaced. I decided that tinkering with it wasn't going to do any harm if it really was that broken. After watching your video, I cleaned out my gas pipe and bam! the pilot lite lit right up and my water heater is working perfectly. You saved me $2000. Thank you so much for posting your video
Hi ,do you still remember how to get the small filter out of the pilot to clean? Mine has a screw and I cant get it out. In this video he just pulled it out so easily.
I didn't actually do any of what you recommended, but after I watched this video my pilot light decided it wanted to light. thanks bro, I assume all I needed to do was watch your video
I don't understand the Thumbs downers, this video did nothing but HELP others for an immediate fix including me just now. I saw this video, paused it and came back 20 minutes later with a running water heater that wouldn't light before. I'm guessing the Thumbs downers are plumbers and Handymen.. Thanks for the helpful video!!
jwalker1200 Probably all the plumbers and water heater salesman that she losing sales because of this video. To people that don't know any better, they can usually con people into getting a brand new water heater when it could be a simple fix like this.
Sergio, thank you so much!! I just finished changing the pressure release valve after quite a mess of water had occurred. I could not get the pilot to light. It acted as though it wasn't getting any gas. I googled the problem and your video showed up! I am a single mom and am so grateful for your posting. Thank you, thank you!!!
Yesterday I had a cool shower, got a litttle bummed and started calling around about the replacement of my 6 yr old heater. Today I watched this video, followed the easy steps, and just had an excellent hot shower! Props mate, this was the BOMB!!
Dude! You saved my life. No hot water for two and a half days. I searched all over trying to figure this out. Finally we have hot water again!!! Thank you for posting this video!
Wow!!! I've been reading all of your comments, I am so happy this has helped so many people! Makes me want to keep adding videos on quick do it yourself emergency repairs!! Thanks for watching.
***** If you're tank is old, it could be leaking. Look around for water, check the burner and surrounding areas. If you do see water anywhere, replace your tank immediately. This could mean your tank is about to give in and cause a flood.
Your video saved me 1100.00. The plumbers don't know what repair is, they all want to only replace. My problem was the same as yours...used a can of dust it to clean out the pilot gas line.....THANK YOU!.....
YOU ARE A LIFESAVER. Literally saved me from calling a plumber. My dad said I would just screw it up, but after watching this video I now have hot water. I can literally fix any water heater thanks to you:)
Another grateful viewer! Had a plastic drain valve that cracked... water leaking everywhere. Drained tank, got the old valve pieces out, replaced with a brass valve, no leaks, felt good for not having to calling service tech. Then the damn thing wouldn't light! Found your video, now I have hot water! Thanks again!
Of course it's Friday night, so Saturday I'd of bought several wrong parts. Following your steps got the pilot going again. I found a lot about general concepts searching videos and how-tos. Eight years and your post is still spot on! Thank you so much for posting your fix.
Thank you very much.i had some work done to our home and turned off waterheater .long story short copper pipes at the top of water heater cold fresh water and hot water supply were old and started leaking.after replacing copper flex pipes heater will not ignite. Thanks to your video I know what to start checking.Thank you so much.
Thanks x10000000000!!! I'm an auto mechanic/natural gas compression mechanic, but when it comes to home gas appliances I get a little nervous and I'm not familiar with water heaters. I was about to order a new gas valve for $120 off the internet and then I found your video. Removed the pilot line after the valve and sure enough gas was getting by the valve. Cleaned the pilot line and wala got the burner going.. Thanks again for taking the time to make this video!
Thank you Sergio - your suggestion saved us money on purchasing a new water heater. After my husband saw your video, he replaced the Thermocouple and $13.00 later we have hot water yeah....Happy wife happy life indeed!!
thanks so much guy, ur video saved me over $300.00, the plumber wanted to change the whole burner unit I told him no and went to RUclips for a diy video and urs is the only 1 I found again thanks so much for posting this it was exactly my problem
I was ready to order a new thermostat when I came upon this video. I pulled out the burner assembly as you did, disassembled it and found the little thimble like orifice. BE CAREFUL when removing the output head of the pilot tube from the long tube as the orifice is not secured and it can fall out and easily get lost on the floor. Anyways, I held the orifice up toward the sun and looked at it and you could barely see sunlight. Took my air compressor and blew it out...again...hold on to that little orifice, it likes to slide out of your hand. Then I looked again through the orifice into the sun and there was a nice concentric circle of light. Verified with a magnifying glass. Reassembled the burner thermocouple unit and installed. Bled the pilot start system for a few seconds and the pilot fired up!!! Thanks for the extremely helpful video. I own several houses and most have gas hot water, so I'm sure the video will come in handy again!
Incredibly helpful. Thank you. This problem has been sitting with me for over 3 months , it’s now middle of winter down under and so glad to have bumped into your walk through. I’m sure it has saved me hundreds of dollars in service people coming out and giving me the run around
My man gotta give you props. I messed with the thermal couple first still had the same problem pilot wouldn't stay on . Was about to give up and call a plumber. Lucky I searched one more video and found yours. The old heater is working fine again thanks.
OMG, thank you for going into such detail with this video. The hot water hose sprang a leak on my water heater, and after we replaced it, the pilot would not light. I tried a good dozen times. The sparker was sparking, the gas was flowing (I could smell it after about 30 seconds), but it was not lighting. I took the whole assembly out like you did, dried off the flame plate, checked the sparker and the pilot restrictor, both of which were working, and then decided to take out the glass window for good measure, figuring if it still had the same issue, I could at least stick a candle lighter in there. I hooked it all back up, tried the sparker, and nothing. So I grabbed my candle lighter, stuck it through the window, and bazinga! The pilot lit. I held the knob in until the light started blinking, and then turned it to hot. Worked like a charm. I am so pumped right now. Thank you a thousand times. Also, after all that work, I need a shower. I cannot wait. ;)
Thank you, thank you!!! Our WWF wrestling dogs tripped the earthquake shut-off valve on the gas meter, so we lost all gas to our house. After I reset the valve (thanks to another RUclips video which saved me an $80 Gas Company call charge), I tried to relight the pilot light on the water heater. No joy. Your video described the problem and solution perfectly - clogged pilot gas tube. The entire process took about an hour - most of which was spent looking for the right size tools. My next chore is to buy a tool box with a lock. You are awesome Sergio and have made someone else's wife (me) very happy. You can probably add my husband to that list because he didn't have to fix it. :)
I don't know how many hours it took me trying it and watching different videos till I saw your video. I just followed your steps and got it fixed in like 10-15 minutes. Thanks a lot for helping me. Thanks again.
I was about to give up when I found your video! Took it apart just as you described and cleaned out the orifice. Reassembled and it lit on the first try. Thank you very much.
Senor Cordova, You, sir, are a steely-eyed water heater man !! The tiny orifice tucked away in the pilot light venturi tube was the source of my problem, too. I opened up the tiny hole with a 0.027"-diameter sewing needle and--KERPOW--the pilot light burst alive with the FIRST click of the igniter. The original installer of my American Water Heater unit charged $100 a few years ago to when I was unable to re-light the pilot after an annual drain/flushing. That MOFO. Thank you for your invaluable and well-produced video. Bruce Kopetz West Bloomfield, Michigan
Hey Dr Sergio, Yeah that's right everyone, he is a Dr of Water Heater FIx! Like so many others and even service techs they default to the thermal coupler, WRONG! it was the pilot light pipe fixed tip regulator. It's purpose is to let just enough gas out for the pilot light flow. It is literally a hair pin hole so it can be easily clogged with micro debris. Mine was clogged as Dr Sergio predicted :-) I removed it and gave it a hot vinegar bath and cleaned it out thoroughly. Blew compressed air thru it. BINGO! Pilot lit and stayed on! While I was in there, changed the coupler, it was less than $12 so what the heck. Thanks again Doc! A friend of a friend went thru this and tech told her she need a new $650 water heater.
Hey Sergio, My Water heater stopped working , on the coldest night here in TX. When I checked the pilot light I notice it was not on, nor would it respond to my attempts to re-light it. When I took the heating assembly out, which was reasonably easy, I notice there was some sort of capacitor inline of the thermocouple line. It was disconnected on one side It was originally soldered on both ends. I just barely noticed that, as it is tiny and you have to push on it with your finger to see that it was broken off. I managed to solder it back, then I re-install the assembly and put everything back together, whoa-la pilot is back up and heat is on and hot water is running again. My wife thinks I am a hero. Thanks to you Sergio.
Dude, Thank you for posting this video!!!!!!! I had the exact same issue. I was able to fix my water heater because of it! I did not remove the hole burner but rather shut the main gas line and removed the small pilot line off the valve. Then I blew some compressed air through it, and it worked! it cleared the line and I simply re-attached it, and the pilot lit! Thanks again. It was very informative and helpful. You definitely saved me a technician visit.
Wow, thank you so much! Just fixed my water heater for free. Watched your video and learned how to disassemble. Took it apart, cleaned everything, blew the water out, and now everything works great. You saved me at LEAST $125. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
You sir are a scholar and a gentleman! I just fixed the clogged filter thingy having never taken a water heater apart before. Super easy! Thanks a bunch!
Thanks for taking the time to making this video. It's turned out to be the MAIN problem I had after a rain flood incident. That little orifice that supplied the gas to the pilot was clogged. after I cleaned it and reinstalled the burner...everything worked beautifully. Thanks again guy!
Thanks man, I watched your video and repaired mine and it worked. The technician had told me to buy a new one because it was rusty around the pilot. My basement was flooded to half the height of the water heater tank a few weeks ago. I had never repaired one but it worked after watching your video!
Just wanted to say thanks. We have been searching all day. Your video was the best. There wasn't even anything wrong, the pipe leaked and the burner was wet. We just dried it off and the flame lit right up. Thank you, thank you!!
T H A N K Y O U ! ! ! I was having the exact same problem. Instead of taking everything apart, I just held the red and pushed striker with one hand and flicked my finger against the pilot line and VOILA! it started for me. THIS IS THE MOST HELPFUL VIDEO OF THE MONTH>>>> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So you cleared the pilot and pilot tubing and found the pilot flame is still weak. That's an indication that there's something else going on. Your burner flame also looks soft and yellow, or possibly orange, but orange would be ok. I like your efforts and I'm also pleased that you advised people to get a qualified professional if they are not familiar, and so thumbs up for that.
You just saved us $300 from having roto roofer come out. So easy.. and liberating to have done it ourselves. Ps.. if you are having trouble getting the pilot to light after repairs made, pump the ignitor multiple times in a row. This saved us...THANK YOU!!!
Thank you Sergio. I watched my pilot flame get smaller and finally go out while trying to light it. After that, it wouldn't light at all. I suspected a clog as I had just added a 90 degree elbow to the main gas feed line and disturbed a bunch a crap when I took it apart. This video was spot on. I think, just the act of taking it apart fixed it. I blew it out with air anyway, reassembled and it works like a charm. In the future, I think I would try tapping on the gas line to the pilot before disassembling. But, if you have to disassemble, this video makes it extremely easy. Thanks Again.
Thank you so much! I watched your video in the early am....after trying to light my pilot evening before. saw how far you pushed in the reset and realized mine didn't push down that far. went down when I got up in the morning...tried again. the Reset was catching on the pilot knob....so I watched the flame as you did and held it down longer..turned it on and it fired right up! your video saved me!
Thanks a lot for making this video. Had a plumber attend a few days ago because my pilot light was going out often, said it was unfixable and that spares were no longer available (our unit is 30+ years old), and that we’d need to replace the unit. The pilot light went out today and would not relight, I followed your video and all working again.
Thanks for posting. A couple of things: 1st, the little cup shaped thing with the hole in it that you refer to as the "filter" is called the "pilot orifice"....2nd: It seems that your main burner flame has a bit too much orange in the flame indicating rich fuel/air mixture. This incorrect fuel/air mixture in turn can be caused by either a dirty combustion air inlet screen at the base of the tank or a partially or completely plugged exhaust vent (chimney) . Both conditions are very dangerous....do NOT run the tank until exhaust vent (chimney) and bottom combustion air vent are cleaned...carbon monoxide hazard !!!! These conditions can cause a dirty/rich orange flame which will often result in a plugged pilot orifice from the soot produced by the dirty, orange flame.
Anytime you have condensation from a cold water tank being heated up, dripping down on the burner, or dust from any sort of work being done/dust being disturbed and kicked up, you're often not going to get proper flame characteristics. The same reason you get streaks of orange in even the most ideal flame. Dust/impurities etc. I often see neat green flames if I knock some dust off an old burner assembly. also he didnt screw the faceplate back on... which isn't up to manufacturer specs and could affect flame characteristics. but regardless of flame characteristics, checking for proper drafting at the draft diverter is the most important thing for CO prevention, and should be done anytime a water heater is lit. also important, check the pilot tubing/main burner tubing for leaks, on the new connections you make! they are prone to leak like a sieve. not to be pedantic, or that guy, but the HOLE is the pilot orifice. The ITEM is the pilot orifice spud.
Thanks! I just watched your video then used the information to help my Son In Law get his heater lit. They had a water backup in the basement a few years ago and have periodically had a problem with it. After following your procedure, it lit on the first push of the ignitor! Thanks so much.
At the beginning of the video you named the part that you push to create the spark the “igniter” several times. That is one name for it. Then at time stamp 3:50 you couldn’t remember what that part was called. So you called it a “light striker.” I think you were trying to remember “piezo-electric spark generator,” and the wire part is the “piezo ignitor wire.” Thank you for the video. It saved me a lot of time trying to figure out why my pilot light doesn’t stay lit. I think it’s the thermocouple.
Thank you! I had a similar problem with my furnace, pilot light would NOT light at all. As it turned out, we had a 90 MPH windstorm the day before, and it shook off soot from the chamber above the pilot light, from the heavy winds hitting the flue on the roof and shaking everything. The soot fell into the hole on the pilot light, so it would not let the gas out: you could not see it until a very bright flashlight was placed right next to it. I applied a toothbrush to the pilot light jet and it fixed it right up. Your plugged-up pilot hole led the way! Many thanks, it was COLD in here!
Very well spoken and explained Sergio. The part you cleaned can be cleaned with a gas welding tip cleaner. Thank you so much for the vid, saved my bacon this morning
Thank you so very much!! I consider myself an excellent handyman...I have gray hairs...but when it comes to gaz devices...I'm a bit nervous😮😮. Today it's Canada day. A long week-end. Try to reach someone for information. Your video was reassuring and the explanations were very clear. You saved my day and my girlfriend thinks I'm a genius. Happy wife, Happy life! Grazy Tanti! Distinti Saluti! Jim
Another thank you message here: I got done working in my garage and really wanted a hot bath, but after pouring the water for a few minutes, I realized I had no hot water. I went downstairs, tried to light the pilot, and could not. Thanks to your video, my house has hot water again. The repair only took me about an hour, half of which was spent looking for the right size wrenches for everything. My water heater is a fg14040s3nov 40 gallon model. The 'nipple' if that's what it's called on the end of the pilot gas line would not come off of the line for me, but I was able to make air come out of it after taking it apart. The hardest part was getting the brass nut off so I could inspect it. I used Vice Grips to hold the lighter/pilot assembly and a 13mm open-ended wrench on the brass nut.
Yeah, it took a whole battery of flat wrenches: 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4". It's not childs's play, but well worth the couple hours required. Also, it really helps to have been successful.
I have to say thank you for leaving this video up! You just saved me a lot of money. I followed your directions step by step and corrected my problem. Plumber wanted 150.00 just to come look at it. Thanks again.
God bless you my friend! And yes all the other videos only address certain issues how disingenuine, must be plumbers. None the less I repair everything around the house but first time repairing a water heater. You gave this man one of the greatest gifts one can give another and that's know how. Thanks again!
+Sergio Cordova just wanted to say a BIG "Thank you!" You just saved me a visit from Plumbing technician, and who knows what may come with that.... I followed your instruction on my GE Smartwarter Heater, which stopped working after the most recent water backup in my basement. And it worked great! The pilot comes right back up after my 1st attempt! As a side note, not sure if anyone else bumped into the same issue as I had, but thought I would share anyway: Somehow for the first a few times, when I turned Gas Knob from "Pilot" to "On", and turn the Temperature knob from lowest setting back into normal (like "Warm"), the flame came up at the burner for a few seconds, then "Puff" and it just went out. Basically my issue moved from "water heater pilot light will not light up" to "water heater burner won't stay lit". Googled a little but don't see much immediate I can try. I had to take the burner assembly out again, but don't see anything wrong with it. Checked the Heat Link as suggested in a different RUclips video but it's good (not melt). I put my hand in the small front door and reached up the dome center which I think is the ventilation tube, but feel its inner wall is wet, which normally shouldn't have been the case.... It might be from the moisture evaporate but then got condensed, which I'm guessing doesn't quite help on the burning. Anyway, I tried to wipe things dry inside as far as I could reach, and put the whole assembly back in, then, Voila! It finally worked! Now after 3 hours, it went a few cycles between full flame and pilot flame, and things appear to work properly.
Great video, but as a Plumber with 35 yrs experience I can tell you that the flame in the end has way too much yellow in it. It should be blue, and that is from a lack of oxygen. The flame arrestor needs cleaned thoroughly with a shop vac, and small hose and brush. It is just a metal screen that allows air flow into the burner assembly. This is a very common problem these days with the new style Water Heaters. Just something that I observed, and is a very common problem with 8 out of 10 W.H.'s
Have been a plumber/gasfitter for 22 years, the water inside that tank has likely cooled to room temperature, or colder if they have been drawing water from it. That flame is yellow from condensation dripping down the flue channel onto the burner, once it drips onto the hot burner it flashes to steam, which is introduced into the primary air, causing a yellow, luminous flame Once the temperature of the water inside the water heater goes above the dew point of the flue gasses, the flame will be a normal blue color .
I LOVE this video! I just looked at my step-mom's water heater and assumed the pilot gas line might be okay because with all my effort it was possible to blow a little air through it. Now I'm realizing it's probably clogged as you diagnosed yours to be. This also seems to fit with the fact that when I'm trying to light the pilot, it will show a brief flash of yellow like once every 50 clicks or so as if just enough gas made it in to create a brief flame. Also, it's a relief to find a video that shows you something other than how to replace a thermocouple...
dude!!! thank you, brother! I searched for my specific problem-like yours-and found vids for replacing the thermo coupler. My problem was exactly what you described. So big Mahalos (Hawaiian ThankYou!!!) for posting this vid!
Wow!! I just turned on the pilot 🎉. I accidentally turned off gas while shutting off water valve. I was scared when the hot water stopped. Watched couple of videos. But, Thanks a ton. Your video boosted my confidence and I went ahead and turned on the gas pilot 😊
Thank you! Yesterday I tried to light my water heater but I didn't know what position was on for the gas & I down low enough to see if the fire was on, so nothing happened. However, this morning I tried it again & yes everything worked. This video gave more insight. Thank you cause here it is Sunday & calling a service technician would have costs me.
Hey bro just wanted to leave a comment thanking you for the detailed fix. No one else mentions what you did and it saved me several hundred dollars and huge headache. I fixed it today, it was the clogged little part.
Thanks so much for this very instructive video. I fixed mine with three wrenches, a pair of needle nose pliers, and a sewing needle. Also had to buy a gas grille lighter...something long enough to get in there and light the pilot. Cleaning that orifice did the trick...as you nicely instructed.
This was a very helpful video. My vents were filled with dust which prevented oxygen from entering the chamber. I cleaned it, reset the pilot, and now the burner is lit as it should be. PG&E said my thermocouple needed a replacement. It did not. I appreciate the upload Sergio Cordova, thank you.
Well done Sergio with clear and safe procedures. If I may contribute, it is not self evident that the line to the restrictor should be cleaned as well, at least close to the restrictor residues could build up. Good that you pointed If after cleaning- pilot does not stay ON then thermocouple is not working.
Great call. Pilot wouldn’t start after gas was turned off to house. Tried to just blow it out before removal but didn’t work. Uninstalled whole assembly, cleaned and it work. Tiny rust particles had fallen into the pilot burner tube. Thanks!
Wow, I would like to thank you so much, you saved me with this video. Visiting family for thanksgiving, short on cash and with 20 people in the house we lost hot water. Thank you so much, this worked perfectly, and free!
I never leave comments, so this is a testament to Sergio saving me a lot of money. The pilot went out and it wouldn't relight. This video gave me the confidence and information to remove the burner assembly and rectify the issue. All i needed to do was clean the little part that Sergio said (I let it sit in CLR for about 15 minutes). Now I'm good to go! Thanks again, Sergio!
Sergio, Thanks so much for your video! I usually fix everything around the house, but was stumped when my pilot wouldn't stay lit once I let off the red button. I went to Menards and picked up a new thermo-coupler and it worked like a charm. Really appreciate you posting this!
This was exactly what was wrong with mine, along with not having an igniter and a bad thermocouple. For what its worth, your pilot tube unscrew was the same but that little thing inside that was clogged was real hard for me to get out, using orange handled picks from harbor freight got it out, along with using their little keychain of tube cleaners from the paint gun cleaning area. Thanks for the video! FYI also - i used a bbq igniter from home depot to ignite and it looks exactly like the one in this video. total cost to fix my three issues - $30 and 2 trips to home depot. RUclips videos like this save me so much vs hiring a contractor, money and cold showers both!
Thanks so much for your video!! I realized we weren't getting any hot water so of course I Googled it.. and clicked your link. So I got everything off and apart per your video, seen some debris on the burners, cleaned out inside and put back together, no luck, no pilot light. After a bit more of Google I sanded down the Thermal Coupler, put back together and Pilot light works as well as Hot Water!!! Thanks very much for the detailed Video!!!
great video. didnt have the same problem but you showing how easy it was to access the area, I was able to fix my heater. the porcelain that held the igniter wire broke and the wire was hanging. I was able to fix it with relative ease thanks to your video. saved $$$$ again thanks to RUclips. thanks again.
You are the mother F'ing man! After searching this topic and viewing several non-helpful videos I found yours. I took mine apart and cleaned out the gas line, which did not even seem dirty/clogged and BINGO. After putting it all back together, it fired up immediately and we are back in business. Keep up the good work and thanks for making a video with some helpful content. These types of videos are what make RUclips worthwhile.
Thanks alot man, you're a blessing bro. We had the same problem and now it's fixed. It was the middle of the night and I didn't want to pull out the whole burner assembly so I was hoping I could get by with just disconnecting the pilot connection and blowing it out. It ended up clearing whatever was in the pipe and pilot lit no problem. I'll probably take the assembly apart another day to do a more thorough cleaning though.
Another satisfied viewer. Thanks for the instructional video. Followed your steps, however, I made the mistake of not holding the "Pilot Set (Red) Button" long enough. Finally got it going.
THANK YOU! I blew into the tiny silver gas line leading to the pilot and a couple puffs of white dust came out! I reconnected it and it worked! Saved some serious $$$
Hey good video. BTW gas is dirty and will clog valves who knew. To help prevent that, traps in the gas line are used. You don't have any, your gas line goes right into your water heater I had a similar issue. if you put a trap between the gas line and your water heater it will help keep the valves clean. I got this advice from a plumber. Good luck all....
Great video! I'm not sure if I had a similar issue, or if it was just the pilot light not catching for some reason. I did a similar disassembly as presented in your video, and I used some canned air to blow through the pilot's gas line, to try and clear any debris/blockage. At first I couldn't feel or hear anything out the other end, and that could of been because I either didn't have a good seal with the canned air tube, to help keep forced air down the pilot gas line, or there actually was some blockage. After a couple tries I felt air, and a whistle sound from the pilot ignition end of the gas tube. Put it all back together, and at first the pilot light didn't seem to want to catch, but finally it did. First time I had to do that, checked for leaks, everything seems to be in good shape, and the video was a great assistance with the prep work. Thanks Sergio.
Thanx for the video, my water heater had the same problem, replaced it & now it's working like a charm, it's a very easy fix, take your time & double-check everything especially the main gas line was turned off as well the master control thermostat, put everything back in reverse order & don't over-tighten anything...just hand tight plus 1/4 turn
Like Rosalyn Mack, I tried it at first without any success, but after watching this video went back, tried it again and it worked! I believe it was my fault that the pilot light went out in the first place. I was cleaning up around the hot water heater with the shop VAC and I believe the force of the suction air may have coused the pilot light to go out. Thanks for a great video. It saved me a service call.
THANK YOU!! This helped immensely. My issue wasnt a clog tho, but I would never have found it if it wasnt for this vid. In my case, the spark wasnt close enough to the gas... so the pilot couldnt lite with it so far away. I believe the tip may have rusted off or bent... not sure exactly but everything worked like a charm after bending it closer so the spark would actually catch where the gas was.
I had your problem with a new construction change out h2O heater, you saved the day! I couldn't remove the plate due to a gasket, but applied vacuum to the line clearing it. Thanks!
Just wanted to Thank you for posting this, my "plate" which is heated by the gas was full of bits of rust, I cleaned it off then re-lit the pilot which initially would not light then presto it worked. God bless!
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your video saved me! my pilot lite wouldn't lite back up so i decided to google my problem and it led me straight to your video. I was told by a plumber that my 8 yr old water heater needed to be replaced, it wasn't worth fixing the control box (which is what he said the issue was) and pouring money into something that was old and needed to be replaced. I decided that tinkering with it wasn't going to do any harm if it really was that broken. After watching your video, I cleaned out my gas pipe and bam! the pilot lite lit right up and my water heater is working perfectly. You saved me $2000. Thank you so much for posting your video
Hi ,do you still remember how to get the small filter out of the pilot to clean? Mine has a screw and I cant get it out. In this video he just pulled it out so easily.
I didn't actually do any of what you recommended, but after I watched this video my pilot light decided it wanted to light. thanks bro, I assume all I needed to do was watch your video
I hope to be so lucky, but realistically, I won't be.
OMG you are right. Mine wasnt igniting and I watched and tried and boom on
Yes same I just watched the video and mine turned on too . Thanks
This is gospel! Exactly what just happened to me too.
@@LostinthePANIC .
I don't understand the Thumbs downers, this video did nothing but HELP others for an immediate fix including me just now. I saw this video, paused it and came back 20 minutes later with a running water heater that wouldn't light before. I'm guessing the Thumbs downers are plumbers and Handymen.. Thanks for the helpful video!!
jwalker1200 Probably all the plumbers and water heater salesman that she losing sales because of this video. To people that don't know any better, they can usually con people into getting a brand new water heater when it could be a simple fix like this.
It’s the gas company employees, they want you to have to call someone to come light it for easy cash.
@@luridftwgaming8983 exactly 300 for a call
You're the man! Pilot wouldn't light and didn't know what to do. Gas line was plugged like yours. Saved me alot of money watching your video. Thanks!
Sergio, thank you so much!! I just finished changing the pressure release valve after quite a mess of water had occurred. I could not get the pilot to light. It acted as though it wasn't getting any gas. I googled the problem and your video showed up! I am a single mom and am so grateful for your posting. Thank you, thank you!!!
Anthony farmer
Yesterday I had a cool shower, got a litttle bummed and started calling around about the replacement of my 6 yr old heater. Today I watched this video, followed the easy steps, and just had an excellent hot shower! Props mate, this was the BOMB!!
Dude! You saved my life. No hot water for two and a half days. I searched all over trying to figure this out. Finally we have hot water again!!! Thank you for posting this video!
Wow!!! I've been reading all of your comments, I am so happy this has helped so many people! Makes me want to keep adding videos on quick do it yourself emergency repairs!! Thanks for watching.
Sergio Cordova You are amazing, it took me 2 hours before I found your video, thank you soooo much.
This video is super helpful and your dry humor is delicious.
***** If you're tank is old, it could be leaking. Look around for water, check the burner and surrounding areas. If you do see water anywhere, replace your tank immediately. This could mean your tank is about to give in and cause a flood.
So smith. Promax
Sergio Cordova
A
Your video saved me 1100.00. The plumbers don't know what repair is, they all want to only replace. My problem was the same as yours...used a can of dust it to clean out the pilot gas line.....THANK YOU!.....
YOU ARE A LIFESAVER. Literally saved me from calling a plumber. My dad said I would just screw it up, but after watching this video I now have hot water. I can literally fix any water heater thanks to you:)
Hell yeah, I do too...😅😅😅
Another grateful viewer! Had a plastic drain valve that cracked... water leaking everywhere. Drained tank, got the old valve pieces out, replaced with a brass valve, no leaks, felt good for not having to calling service tech. Then the damn thing wouldn't light! Found your video, now I have hot water! Thanks again!
Of course it's Friday night, so Saturday I'd of bought several wrong parts. Following your steps got the pilot going again. I found a lot about general concepts searching videos and how-tos. Eight years and your post is still spot on! Thank you so much for posting your fix.
Looks like we are both working on the same project tonight. 😏
Thank you very much.i had some work done to our home and turned off waterheater .long story short copper pipes at the top of water heater cold fresh water and hot water supply were old and started leaking.after replacing copper flex pipes heater will not ignite. Thanks to your video I know what to start checking.Thank you so much.
Thanks x10000000000!!! I'm an auto mechanic/natural gas compression mechanic, but when it comes to home gas appliances I get a little nervous and I'm not familiar with water heaters. I was about to order a new gas valve for $120 off the internet and then I found your video. Removed the pilot line after the valve and sure enough gas was getting by the valve. Cleaned the pilot line and wala got the burner going.. Thanks again for taking the time to make this video!
Thank you Sergio - your suggestion saved us money on purchasing a new water heater. After my husband saw your video, he replaced the Thermocouple and $13.00 later we have hot water yeah....Happy wife happy life indeed!!
thanks so much guy, ur video saved me over $300.00, the plumber wanted to change the whole burner unit I told him no and went to RUclips for a diy video and urs is the only 1 I found again thanks so much for posting this it was exactly my problem
I was ready to order a new thermostat when I came upon this video. I pulled out the burner assembly as you did, disassembled it and found the little thimble like orifice. BE CAREFUL when removing the output head of the pilot tube from the long tube as the orifice is not secured and it can fall out and easily get lost on the floor.
Anyways, I held the orifice up toward the sun and looked at it and you could barely see sunlight. Took my air compressor and blew it out...again...hold on to that little orifice, it likes to slide out of your hand. Then I looked again through the orifice into the sun and there was a nice concentric circle of light. Verified with a magnifying glass.
Reassembled the burner thermocouple unit and installed. Bled the pilot start system for a few seconds and the pilot fired up!!!
Thanks for the extremely helpful video. I own several houses and most have gas hot water, so I'm sure the video will come in handy again!
Incredibly helpful. Thank you. This problem has been sitting with me for over 3 months , it’s now middle of winter down under and so glad to have bumped into your walk through. I’m sure it has saved me hundreds of dollars in service people coming out and giving me the run around
My man gotta give you props. I messed with the thermal couple first still had the same problem pilot wouldn't stay on . Was about to give up and call a plumber. Lucky I searched one more video and found yours. The old heater is working fine again thanks.
OMG, thank you for going into such detail with this video. The hot water hose sprang a leak on my water heater, and after we replaced it, the pilot would not light. I tried a good dozen times. The sparker was sparking, the gas was flowing (I could smell it after about 30 seconds), but it was not lighting. I took the whole assembly out like you did, dried off the flame plate, checked the sparker and the pilot restrictor, both of which were working, and then decided to take out the glass window for good measure, figuring if it still had the same issue, I could at least stick a candle lighter in there. I hooked it all back up, tried the sparker, and nothing. So I grabbed my candle lighter, stuck it through the window, and bazinga! The pilot lit. I held the knob in until the light started blinking, and then turned it to hot. Worked like a charm. I am so pumped right now. Thank you a thousand times. Also, after all that work, I need a shower. I cannot wait. ;)
mandydax I followed your steps and I have hot water again. Thanks to you and the person who posted this video!!
mandydax Be sure to replace the glass window, the unites have a "sealed combustion chamber" . The spark igniter is replaceable.
mandydax I just fixed my by doing this you are the best bro thank you !!
Thank you, thank you!!! Our WWF wrestling dogs tripped the earthquake shut-off valve on the gas meter, so we lost all gas to our house. After I reset the valve (thanks to another RUclips video which saved me an $80 Gas Company call charge), I tried to relight the pilot light on the water heater. No joy. Your video described the problem and solution perfectly - clogged pilot gas tube. The entire process took about an hour - most of which was spent looking for the right size tools. My next chore is to buy a tool box with a lock.
You are awesome Sergio and have made someone else's wife (me) very happy. You can probably add my husband to that list because he didn't have to fix it. :)
I don't know how many hours it took me trying it and watching different videos till I saw your video. I just followed your steps and got it fixed in like 10-15 minutes. Thanks a lot for helping me. Thanks again.
I was about to give up when I found your video! Took it apart just as you described and cleaned out the orifice. Reassembled and it lit on the first try. Thank you very much.
Senor Cordova,
You, sir, are a steely-eyed water heater man !!
The tiny orifice tucked away in the pilot light venturi tube was the source of my problem, too. I opened up the tiny hole with a 0.027"-diameter sewing needle and--KERPOW--the pilot light burst alive with the FIRST click of the igniter.
The original installer of my American Water Heater unit charged $100 a few years ago to when I was unable to re-light the pilot after an annual drain/flushing. That MOFO.
Thank you for your invaluable and well-produced video.
Bruce Kopetz
West Bloomfield, Michigan
Hey Dr Sergio, Yeah that's right everyone, he is a Dr of Water Heater FIx!
Like so many others and even service techs they default to the thermal coupler, WRONG! it was the pilot light pipe fixed tip regulator. It's purpose is to let just enough gas out for the pilot light flow.
It is literally a hair pin hole so it can be easily clogged with micro debris.
Mine was clogged as Dr Sergio predicted :-)
I removed it and gave it a hot vinegar bath and cleaned it out thoroughly. Blew compressed air thru it. BINGO!
Pilot lit and stayed on!
While I was in there, changed the coupler, it was less than $12 so what the heck.
Thanks again Doc!
A friend of a friend went thru this and tech told her she need a new $650 water heater.
Hey Sergio, My Water heater stopped working , on the coldest night here in TX. When I checked the pilot light I notice it was not on, nor would it respond to my attempts to re-light it.
When I took the heating assembly out, which was reasonably easy, I notice there was some sort of capacitor inline of the thermocouple line. It was disconnected on one side
It was originally soldered on both ends. I just barely noticed that, as it is tiny and you have to push on it with your finger to see that it was broken off. I managed to solder it back, then I re-install the assembly and put everything back together, whoa-la pilot is back up and heat is on and hot water is running again. My wife thinks I am a hero. Thanks to you Sergio.
Glad it worked out!
Dude, Thank you for posting this video!!!!!!! I had the exact same issue. I was able to fix my water heater because of it! I did not remove the hole burner but rather shut the main gas line and removed the small pilot line off the valve. Then I blew some compressed air through it, and it worked! it cleared the line and I simply re-attached it, and the pilot lit!
Thanks again. It was very informative and helpful. You definitely saved me a technician visit.
Jesse Sanchez trigu
Jesse, ya da man! Your method works for me too! Saved me a lot of time. Thank you very much!
Wow, thank you so much! Just fixed my water heater for free. Watched your video and learned how to disassemble. Took it apart, cleaned everything, blew the water out, and now everything works great. You saved me at LEAST $125. Thank you thank you thank you!!!
You sir are a scholar and a gentleman! I just fixed the clogged filter thingy having never taken a water heater apart before. Super easy! Thanks a bunch!
Thanks for taking the time to making this video. It's turned out to be the MAIN problem I had after a rain flood incident. That little orifice that supplied the gas to the pilot was clogged. after I cleaned it and reinstalled the burner...everything worked beautifully. Thanks again guy!
Thanks man, I watched your video and repaired mine and it worked. The technician had told me to buy a new one because it was rusty around the pilot. My basement was flooded to half the height of the water heater tank a few weeks ago. I had never repaired one but it worked after watching your video!
Thanks man I couldn't understand why my pilot light wouldn't stay lit until I watched your video and held that button down. Much appreciated
Just wanted to say thanks. We have been searching all day. Your video was the best. There wasn't even anything wrong, the pipe leaked and the burner was wet. We just dried it off and the flame lit right up. Thank you, thank you!!
T H A N K Y O U ! ! ! I was having the exact same problem. Instead of taking everything apart, I just held the red and pushed striker with one hand and flicked my finger against the pilot line and VOILA! it started for me. THIS IS THE MOST HELPFUL VIDEO OF THE MONTH>>>> !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU ROCK MAN... Your directions really helped me. You just saved me and my family thousands of dollars.
So you cleared the pilot and pilot tubing and found the pilot flame is still weak. That's an indication that there's something else going on. Your burner flame also looks soft and yellow, or possibly orange, but orange would be ok. I like your efforts and I'm also pleased that you advised people to get a qualified professional if they are not familiar, and so thumbs up for that.
You just saved us $300 from having roto roofer come out. So easy.. and liberating to have done it ourselves. Ps.. if you are having trouble getting the pilot to light after repairs made, pump the ignitor multiple times in a row. This saved us...THANK YOU!!!
Thank you Sergio. I watched my pilot flame get smaller and finally go out while trying to light it. After that, it wouldn't light at all. I suspected a clog as I had just added a 90 degree elbow to the main gas feed line and disturbed a bunch a crap when I took it apart. This video was spot on. I think, just the act of taking it apart fixed it. I blew it out with air anyway, reassembled and it works like a charm. In the future, I think I would try tapping on the gas line to the pilot before disassembling. But, if you have to disassemble, this video makes it extremely easy. Thanks Again.
Thank you so much! I watched your video in the early am....after trying to light my pilot evening before. saw how far you pushed in the reset and realized mine didn't push down that far. went down when I got up in the morning...tried again. the Reset was catching on the pilot knob....so I watched the flame as you did and held it down longer..turned it on and it fired right up! your video saved me!
Thanks a lot for making this video. Had a plumber attend a few days ago because my pilot light was going out often, said it was unfixable and that spares were no longer available (our unit is 30+ years old), and that we’d need to replace the unit. The pilot light went out today and would not relight, I followed your video and all working again.
Thanks for posting. A couple of things: 1st, the little cup shaped thing with the hole in it that you refer to as the "filter" is called the "pilot orifice"....2nd: It seems that your main burner flame has a bit too much orange in the flame indicating rich fuel/air mixture. This incorrect fuel/air mixture in turn can be caused by either a dirty combustion air inlet screen at the base of the tank or a partially or completely plugged exhaust vent (chimney) . Both conditions are very dangerous....do NOT run the tank until exhaust vent (chimney) and bottom combustion air vent are cleaned...carbon monoxide hazard !!!! These conditions can cause a dirty/rich orange flame which will often result in a plugged pilot orifice from the soot produced by the dirty, orange flame.
Anytime you have condensation from a cold water tank being heated up, dripping down on the burner, or dust from any sort of work being done/dust being disturbed and kicked up, you're often not going to get proper flame characteristics. The same reason you get streaks of orange in even the most ideal flame. Dust/impurities etc. I often see neat green flames if I knock some dust off an old burner assembly.
also he didnt screw the faceplate back on... which isn't up to manufacturer specs and could affect flame characteristics.
but regardless of flame characteristics, checking for proper drafting at the draft diverter is the most important thing for CO prevention, and should be done anytime a water heater is lit. also important, check the pilot tubing/main burner tubing for leaks, on the new connections you make! they are prone to leak like a sieve.
not to be pedantic, or that guy, but the HOLE is the pilot orifice. The ITEM is the pilot orifice spud.
Thanks! I just watched your video then used the information to help my Son In Law get his heater lit. They had a water backup in the basement a few years ago and have periodically had a problem with it. After following your procedure, it lit on the first push of the ignitor! Thanks so much.
Sergio, you are the MAN!! You just saved me about $600, as I was just about to go replace it. Thanx!!!!
At the beginning of the video you named the part that you push to create the spark the “igniter” several times. That is one name for it. Then at time stamp 3:50 you couldn’t remember what that part was called. So you called it a “light striker.” I think you were trying to remember “piezo-electric spark generator,” and the wire part is the “piezo ignitor wire.” Thank you for the video. It saved me a lot of time trying to figure out why my pilot light doesn’t stay lit. I think it’s the thermocouple.
Thank you! I had a similar problem with my furnace, pilot light would NOT light at all. As it turned out, we had a 90 MPH windstorm the day before, and it shook off soot from the chamber above the pilot light, from the heavy winds hitting the flue on the roof and shaking everything. The soot fell into the hole on the pilot light, so it would not let the gas out: you could not see it until a very bright flashlight was placed right next to it. I applied a toothbrush to the pilot light jet and it fixed it right up. Your plugged-up pilot hole led the way! Many thanks, it was COLD in here!
I was ready to buy another water heater, but thanks to your video, I fixed mine, Thanks bro..!!
Very well spoken and explained Sergio. The part you cleaned can be cleaned with a gas welding tip cleaner. Thank you so much for the vid, saved my bacon this morning
Thank you so very much!! I consider myself an excellent handyman...I have gray hairs...but when it comes to gaz devices...I'm a bit nervous😮😮. Today it's Canada day. A long week-end. Try to reach someone for information. Your video was reassuring and the explanations were very clear. You saved my day and my girlfriend thinks I'm a genius. Happy wife, Happy life! Grazy Tanti! Distinti Saluti! Jim
Another thank you message here: I got done working in my garage and really wanted a hot bath, but after pouring the water for a few minutes, I realized I had no hot water. I went downstairs, tried to light the pilot, and could not. Thanks to your video, my house has hot water again. The repair only took me about an hour, half of which was spent looking for the right size wrenches for everything. My water heater is a fg14040s3nov 40 gallon model. The 'nipple' if that's what it's called on the end of the pilot gas line would not come off of the line for me, but I was able to make air come out of it after taking it apart. The hardest part was getting the brass nut off so I could inspect it. I used Vice Grips to hold the lighter/pilot assembly and a 13mm open-ended wrench on the brass nut.
Yeah, it took a whole battery of flat wrenches: 3/8", 7/16", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4". It's not childs's play, but well worth the couple hours required. Also, it really helps to have been successful.
I have to say thank you for leaving this video up! You just saved me a lot of money. I followed your directions step by step and corrected my problem. Plumber wanted 150.00 just to come look at it. Thanks again.
God bless you my friend! And yes all the other videos only address certain issues how disingenuine, must be plumbers.
None the less I repair everything around the house but first time repairing a water heater. You gave this man one of the greatest gifts one can give another and that's know how. Thanks again!
+Sergio Cordova
just wanted to say a BIG "Thank you!" You just saved me a visit from Plumbing technician, and who knows what may come with that.... I followed your instruction on my GE Smartwarter Heater, which stopped working after the most recent water backup in my basement. And it worked great! The pilot comes right back up after my 1st attempt!
As a side note, not sure if anyone else bumped into the same issue as I had, but thought I would share anyway: Somehow for the first a few times, when I turned Gas Knob from "Pilot" to "On", and turn the Temperature knob from lowest setting back into normal (like "Warm"), the flame came up at the burner for a few seconds, then "Puff" and it just went out. Basically my issue moved from "water heater pilot light will not light up" to "water heater burner won't stay lit". Googled a little but don't see much immediate I can try. I had to take the burner assembly out again, but don't see anything wrong with it. Checked the Heat Link as suggested in a different RUclips video but it's good (not melt). I put my hand in the small front door and reached up the dome center which I think is the ventilation tube, but feel its inner wall is wet, which normally shouldn't have been the case.... It might be from the moisture evaporate but then got condensed, which I'm guessing doesn't quite help on the burning. Anyway, I tried to wipe things dry inside as far as I could reach, and put the whole assembly back in, then, Voila! It finally worked! Now after 3 hours, it went a few cycles between full flame and pilot flame, and things appear to work properly.
Thanks Sergio. Had the same issue after a basement flood. Your vid showed us what to do and we now have a flame again . Appreciative in Cincinnati.
This is the best of the repair videos I have found on You tube..
Great video, but as a Plumber with 35 yrs experience I can tell you that the flame in the end has way too much yellow in it. It should be blue, and that is from a lack of oxygen. The flame arrestor needs cleaned thoroughly with a shop vac, and small hose and brush. It is just a metal screen that allows air flow into the burner assembly. This is a very common problem these days with the new style Water Heaters. Just something that I observed, and is a very common problem with 8 out of 10 W.H.'s
Have been a plumber/gasfitter for 22 years, the water inside that tank has likely cooled to room temperature, or colder if they have been drawing water from it.
That flame is yellow from condensation dripping down the flue channel onto the burner, once it drips onto the hot burner it flashes to steam, which is introduced into the primary air, causing a yellow, luminous flame
Once the temperature of the water inside the water heater goes above the dew point of the flue gasses, the flame will be a normal blue color .
Smh the game is to be sold not told M/F bull bull
I’m having issues with it staying on once I get it all back inside the tank. It acts like there too much air flow inside blowing the flame out
Thank you thank you thank you. This video was exactly what I needed. No parts needed and saved me over $100 I am sure.
I LOVE this video! I just looked at my step-mom's water heater and assumed the pilot gas line might be okay because with all my effort it was possible to blow a little air through it. Now I'm realizing it's probably clogged as you diagnosed yours to be. This also seems to fit with the fact that when I'm trying to light the pilot, it will show a brief flash of yellow like once every 50 clicks or so as if just enough gas made it in to create a brief flame. Also, it's a relief to find a video that shows you something other than how to replace a thermocouple...
This video helped me in 2021!! Thank you so much!! Saved me about $1,500. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to make this video.
Thanks so much for your video, saved me a bunch of money. Plus, I'm a woman so I get bragging rights in the house bc no one else could fix it. :)
Nice!
Not even your boy doggy 🐶 my bulldog helped me he gave me some of his gas to my face 😷
dude!!! thank you, brother! I searched for my specific problem-like yours-and found vids for replacing the thermo coupler. My problem was exactly what you described. So big Mahalos (Hawaiian ThankYou!!!) for posting this vid!
Wow!! I just turned on the pilot 🎉. I accidentally turned off gas while shutting off water valve. I was scared when the hot water stopped. Watched couple of videos. But, Thanks a ton. Your video boosted my confidence and I went ahead and turned on the gas pilot 😊
This was a big help. I didn't know what the red button on the left was for. Saved me a weekend plumber's fee. Thanks!
Oh, and I didn't blow up the house.
Great video - to the point clear no stupid music or long winded intros.
Thank you! Yesterday I tried to light my water heater but I didn't know what position was on for the gas & I down low enough to see if the fire was on, so nothing happened. However, this morning I tried it again & yes everything worked. This video gave more insight. Thank you cause here it is Sunday & calling a service technician would have costs me.
I did the same thing Rosalyn! I tried it at first without any success, but after watchign the video wnent back, tried it again and it worked!
Hey bro just wanted to leave a comment thanking you for the detailed fix. No one else mentions what you did and it saved me several hundred dollars and huge headache. I fixed it today, it was the clogged little part.
Better than the Maytag repair man. ONLY video showing this. Thanks!
Thank you so much! I woke up this morning to cold water so I turned to youtube and your video did it! You helped me so much buddy! God Bless you!
Thanks so much for this very instructive video. I fixed mine with three wrenches, a pair of needle nose pliers, and a sewing needle. Also had to buy a gas grille lighter...something long enough to get in there and light the pilot. Cleaning that orifice did the trick...as you nicely instructed.
This was a very helpful video. My vents were filled with dust which prevented oxygen from entering the chamber. I cleaned it, reset the pilot, and now the burner is lit as it should be. PG&E said my thermocouple needed a replacement. It did not. I appreciate the upload Sergio Cordova, thank you.
I'm glad it helped!
Helpful for people who can’t understand the simple instructions pasted on the heater.
Well done Sergio with clear and safe procedures. If I may contribute, it is not self evident that the line to the restrictor should be cleaned as well, at least close to the restrictor residues could build up. Good that you pointed If after cleaning- pilot does not stay ON then thermocouple is not working.
Great call. Pilot wouldn’t start after gas was turned off to house. Tried to just blow it out before removal but didn’t work. Uninstalled whole assembly, cleaned and it work. Tiny rust particles had fallen into the pilot burner tube. Thanks!
Wow, I would like to thank you so much, you saved me with this video. Visiting family for thanksgiving, short on cash and with 20 people in the house we lost hot water. Thank you so much, this worked perfectly, and free!
This was exactly what I was looking for. Thank you Sergio, for taking the time to make this video.
I never leave comments, so this is a testament to Sergio saving me a lot of money. The pilot went out and it wouldn't relight. This video gave me the confidence and information to remove the burner assembly and rectify the issue. All i needed to do was clean the little part that Sergio said (I let it sit in CLR for about 15 minutes). Now I'm good to go! Thanks again, Sergio!
Dan Nutter glad it helped!
Sergio, Thanks so much for your video! I usually fix everything around the house, but was stumped when my pilot wouldn't stay lit once I let off the red button. I went to Menards and picked up a new thermo-coupler and it worked like a charm. Really appreciate you posting this!
This is awesome video, I have learned how to ignite, and made my wife happy by turning the hot water on, thanks a lot Sergio.
This was exactly what was wrong with mine, along with not having an igniter and a bad thermocouple. For what its worth, your pilot tube unscrew was the same but that little thing inside that was clogged was real hard for me to get out, using orange handled picks from harbor freight got it out, along with using their little keychain of tube cleaners from the paint gun cleaning area. Thanks for the video! FYI also - i used a bbq igniter from home depot to ignite and it looks exactly like the one in this video. total cost to fix my three issues - $30 and 2 trips to home depot. RUclips videos like this save me so much vs hiring a contractor, money and cold showers both!
Sergio, thank you brother! I was suffering from a clogged orifice but once I blew it out, all fixed. Gas flows perfectly now.
Thanks so much for your video!! I realized we weren't getting any hot water so of course I Googled it.. and clicked your link. So I got everything off and apart per your video, seen some debris on the burners, cleaned out inside and put back together, no luck, no pilot light. After a bit more of Google I sanded down the Thermal Coupler, put back together and Pilot light works as well as Hot Water!!! Thanks very much for the detailed Video!!!
great video. didnt have the same problem but you showing how easy it was to access the area, I was able to fix my heater. the porcelain that held the igniter wire broke and the wire was hanging. I was able to fix it with relative ease thanks to your video. saved $$$$ again thanks to RUclips. thanks again.
You are the mother F'ing man! After searching this topic and viewing several non-helpful videos I found yours. I took mine apart and cleaned out the gas line, which did not even seem dirty/clogged and BINGO. After putting it all back together, it fired up immediately and we are back in business. Keep up the good work and thanks for making a video with some helpful content. These types of videos are what make RUclips worthwhile.
Same here. Saved me a fortune
Glad to have helped!
Thanks alot man, you're a blessing bro. We had the same problem and now it's fixed. It was the middle of the night and I didn't want to pull out the whole burner assembly so I was hoping I could get by with just disconnecting the pilot connection and blowing it out. It ended up clearing whatever was in the pipe and pilot lit no problem. I'll probably take the assembly apart another day to do a more thorough cleaning though.
Great video, Sergio. You helped me save a couple hundred bucks on a service call and most importantly, happy wife, happy life!
Thanks Dude! I followed your instructions and had hot water in 35min and saved a couple $100 bucks. Thanks!
Saved me 85 bucks for the burner assembly. Thanks. Worked perfectly. Easy fix.
Thank you, Sergio. This really helped me fix my water heater. Excellent how you covered all the details and possibilities.
Another satisfied viewer. Thanks for the instructional video. Followed your steps, however, I made the mistake of not holding the "Pilot Set (Red) Button" long enough. Finally got it going.
Perfect!! Great video!!.........Got my gas water heater Working!!..........Could have NEVER done it without this video! THANK YOU!!
THANK YOU! I blew into the tiny silver gas line leading to the pilot and a couple puffs of white dust came out! I reconnected it and it worked! Saved some serious $$$
Great video, precise instructions and just the right length without long preambles! Would like one on changing the thermocouple.
Hey good video. BTW gas is dirty and will clog valves who knew. To help prevent that, traps in the gas line are used. You don't have any, your gas line goes right into your water heater I had a similar issue. if you put a trap between the gas line and your water heater it will help keep the valves clean. I got this advice from a plumber. Good luck all....
In gas it’s called a drip not a trap. But yessir
Great video!
I'm not sure if I had a similar issue, or if it was just the pilot light not catching for some reason. I did a similar disassembly as presented in your video, and I used some canned air to blow through the pilot's gas line, to try and clear any debris/blockage. At first I couldn't feel or hear anything out the other end, and that could of been because I either didn't have a good seal with the canned air tube, to help keep forced air down the pilot gas line, or there actually was some blockage. After a couple tries I felt air, and a whistle sound from the pilot ignition end of the gas tube. Put it all back together, and at first the pilot light didn't seem to want to catch, but finally it did. First time I had to do that, checked for leaks, everything seems to be in good shape, and the video was a great assistance with the prep work.
Thanks Sergio.
Thanx for the video, my water heater had the same problem, replaced it & now it's working like a charm, it's a very easy fix, take your time & double-check everything especially the main gas line was turned off as well the master control thermostat, put everything back in reverse order & don't over-tighten anything...just hand tight plus 1/4 turn
Like Rosalyn Mack, I tried it at first without any success, but after watching this video went back, tried it again and it worked!
I believe it was my fault that the pilot light went out in the first place. I was cleaning up around the hot water heater with the shop VAC and I believe the force of the suction air may have coused the pilot light to go out.
Thanks for a great video. It saved me a service call.
THANK YOU!! This helped immensely. My issue wasnt a clog tho, but I would never have found it if it wasnt for this vid.
In my case, the spark wasnt close enough to the gas... so the pilot couldnt lite with it so far away. I believe the tip may have rusted off or bent... not sure exactly but everything worked like a charm after bending it closer so the spark would actually catch where the gas was.
This is what I needed. I was able to get my hot water heater to work again.
I had your problem with a new construction change out h2O heater, you saved the day! I couldn't remove the plate due to a gasket, but applied vacuum to the line clearing it. Thanks!
Thanks man...first 2 mins of the video, worked like a charm.
Just wanted to Thank you for posting this, my "plate" which is heated by the gas was full of bits of rust, I cleaned it off then re-lit the pilot which initially would not light then presto it worked. God bless!