If a gas water heater isn’t heating, a common problem is usually that the pilot light has gone out. This may be caused by the gas valve, the natural gas supply, or—more likely—the thermocouple located next to the pilot light.

Why is my hot water all of a sudden not working?

A water heater that produces no hot water may not be getting power, may have a tripped limit switch, or may have one or more failed heating elements. First, check the water heater’s circuit breaker in the service panel to make sure it hasn’t tripped. If the breaker has tripped, switch it off, then switch it back on.

What is the most common problem with a gas hot water heater?





Water leaks are perhaps the most common type of water heater issue you’ll face. Any water heater will start to leak eventually, as by nature water will eventually corrode your tank and create microscopic cracks or fractures.

What to check when there’s no hot water?

First things first…

  • Bump up the thermostat.
  • Check the forecast.
  • Relight the pilot light.
  • Fix a faulty thermocouple.
  • Rekindle a blue flame.
  • Inspect the gas line.
  • Restart your water heater.
  • Reset the circuit breaker.

How do you reset a gas hot water heater?


Quote from Youtube video: You simply hold the button down and spark. It and then here's the most important part you continue to hold that button down for about 60 seconds.

How do I know if my gas water heater is bad?

Warning Signs of Water Heater Failure

  1. Aging. Unfortunately, household appliances are built to last forever. …
  2. Leaking. Every homeowner fears water damage, for good reason. …
  3. Delivering Rusty or Cloudy Water. …
  4. Hot Water Shortage. …
  5. Varying Water Temperature. …
  6. Making Strange Noises. …
  7. Requiring Expensive Repairs.





How do you check a gas hot water heater?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Let's get down pretty low in that glass you should see a blue flame you'll notice these are all sealed.

Where is reset button on gas water heater?

The reset button is often red and located near the thermostat or behind a metal panel that is removable on the unit. When you find it, push the reset button and then release it. There may be a lower thermostat button also known as a second reset button.

What do you do when your gas water heater stops working?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: You can try cleaning the pilot with a stiff brush or compressed air but the pilot may need to be replaced with a new one. The igniter or spark electrode is the component that lights the pilot.

How long do you hold the reset button on a gas hot water heater?



It depends on the size of the tank, but with any unit, you should be able to get in a hot shower with gas water heaters within 30-40 minutes and with electric tanks, about 60-90 minutes.

What trips the reset button on a hot water heater?

The reset button: a red button located on the water heater itself (just above the thermostat) that trips when the water temperature exceeds 180 F. The reset button is sometimes referred to as the “ECO” (emergency cut off) or “high limit switch”.

Why is my water only getting warm?

Causes of a Lukewarm Hot Water Heater



Sediment build-up. Thermostat is broken. Gas hot water heater is out of fuel. Electric hot water heater doesn’t have power.

Why do I have to push the reset button on my water heater?



The button is part of a built-in safety device that cuts energy to the water heater if the internal water temperature gets dangerously high – above 150°F. When this happens, usually all you have to do is press the reset button, and if the water is cool enough, the water heater will turn back on.

How do you reset the thermal switch on a water heater?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Position. If the thermal switch has a button then it's likely resettable simply press the button to reset the switch Thermal switches have a reset button some will reset automatically.

How do I know if my thermal switch is working?

Watch the needle on the digital multimeter display to determine if your thermal overload switch needs to be replaced. A functional thermal overload switch will cause the needle to move to “0”. If your thermal overload switch is faulty, the needle on the digital multimeter will not move at all.

Where is the thermal switch on a gas water heater?

On a typical residential gas water heater, the TCO is a manually resettable thermal switch located on the front of combustion chamber door. The TCO is integral with the thermocouple or thermopile depending on type of gas control valve.