Why Does My Pilot Light Keep Going Out?

One of the most common reasons that your pilot light on your water heater keeps going out is a damaged, bent or dirty thermocouple.

What is a thermocouple you ask? Simply put, it is a device that measures temperature. More importantly it is the device that regulates the gas flow inside your water heater or furnace. It has two wires. One sits hear the thermostat and the other sits by the pilot light flame. If the temperature goes up the thermocouple sends and electric signal that opens the gas valve and allows for the combustion to take place. If the pilot light goes out, the thermocouple senses the drop in temperature and signals for the gas valve to close.

If you have a faulty thermocouple it won’t function correctly. It is the most common reason that your pilot light is malfunctioning.

Over time your water heater will collect dirt, dust and other kinds of debris. Build up on your thermocouple can cause a malfunction.

• This is and easy fix, simply let your water heater cool down and brush of the dirt or debris.

Your thermocouple might bend. The end that sits near the pilot light flame is what communicates with the gas valve and tells it to open or close. If it is bent away from the flame it won’t register heat and will keep the gas valve closed.

• Again simply wait for you water heater to cool down and then bend it back. Be careful not to bend it too far, and if you are unsure of your self please contact us before attempting any home fixes.

If your thermocouple is neither bent, nor dirty or you have troubleshooted both of these issues, you may have a damaged or malfunctioning product. Call us today or request service online today to find out about replacing your thermocouple.

If it is not a thermocouple problem it is possible there is a dirty pilot light opening. This causes the pilot flame to cool down and thus will not warm the thermocouple effectively.

Contact us today if you suspect either of these issues and one of our certified technicians will assist you.

DO NOT attempt any of these procedures unless you are sure you know what you are doing. If you second guess yourself at at time DO NOT proceed call us and we can investigate what the next steps are.

If you are in Seattle or the greater Seattle area request service online and if you are not sure if you are in our service area, check out our service area page for more information on the communities we serve.