How to light the Pilot Light on your hot water heater

Gas Plumbing Surrey Hills

A customer at Surrey Hills contacted our office to report that their hot water unit pilot light was going out every two to three days. George was on the scene promptly, and inspected the Aquamax unit.
As the water heater was almost 20-years-old, it was time for a replacement. George advised customer on replacement options, to find the best possible model based on their requirement.

Following consultation, a new Aquamax 390 hot water unit was installed. The old unit was drained, disconnected and removed from site. The brand-new heater unit was securely fitted with hot- and cold- water pipes connected. Unit was tested and hot water running beautifully.

We also provided the customer with the required warranty paperwork and Compliance Certificate.

Gas Plumbing Mont Albert North

Our licensed gas plumber Tim was called in to assist a customer at Mont Albert North, who had no hot water and their heater’s pilot light could not be relit.

Tim investigated the issue, cleaning out the unit’s burner assembly. A faulty thermocouple was found to be the cause and was replaced.

Our plumber tested the unit and it was back to working order.

Gas Plumbing Canterbury

Tim and Angus from the Doherty Plumbing Solutions crew attended a gas plumbing call at Canterbury, where a customer was left frustrated by their hot water unit pilot light going our intermittently for a whole week.

On closer inspection, Tim and Angus zeroed in on the problem. They cleaned the burner assembly and found the thermocouple safety switch was past its prime, so it was replaced.  Gas supply connections were tested and all was working fine. 

What is a pilot light?

For gas-powered water heaters, a small flame that serves as the primary source of ignition is referred to as the pilot light. When the heating unit is switched on, gas is supplied to the main burner and the pilot light fires the appliance, heating the water.

If the pilot light is not burning, the heater will be unable to supply hot water.

There may be various causes for a pilot light to go out, including strong winds, a faulty thermocouple, or the heater itself being past its prime.

How to light the pilot light?

So, what to do if the pilot light is extinguished? Can you fix it on your own? In most cases, you can re-light the pilot light.

Make sure to read all instructions carefully in your heater’s manual, as these might be specific notes regarding the make of your heating unit. 

Always remember – SAFETY FIRST! If you find it difficult to tackle the pilot light issue or smell leaking gas in the vicinity of the heater unit, turn off the gas supply and always call in a professional gas plumber such as Doherty Plumbing Solutions, who can assist you.

How There are a few general steps you can follow to re-light a pilot light:

  1. Locate the heater’s gas shut-off valve on its front lower section, and turn the regulator knob off.
  2. After waiting for about five minutes to let any unburnt gas clear off, turn the knob to ‘Pilot’ position and press it down. This will reinstate the gas supply.
  3. While holding the knob down, light the flame (either manually, or in some designs, using a pre-fitted ignition button).
  4. Keep holding the gas knob for about a minute, and once the light is steady, slowly release the knob.
  5. Turn the gas knob to the ‘On’ position, and it will light the main burner, indicated by a ‘whoosh’ sound.

Where can you get hot water plumbing service in Melbourne?

The team of licensed plumbers at Doherty Plumbing Solutions provide complete hot water services in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, including repairs, maintenance and replacements/installations.

When you choose Doherty Plumbing Solutions for your Melbourne hot water services, you will receive top-of-the-line, quality workmanship.

Contact Doherty Plumbing Solutions today to discuss how we can help you:

Enquiry

Please include any relevant images you may have of work required.
Drop files here or
Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, Max. file size: 4 MB, Max. files: 3.
    This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    Responsive, reasonably priced and pleasant to deal with. Have used several times in the past and will continue to do so.
    Fiona Walliss Avatar
    Fiona Walliss
    9/13/2024
    Really responsive, great communication and quality of work. Been struggling to find good quality reliable trades but have found one here. Came recommended from my builder friend and can now recommend myself.
    Ben Leach Avatar
    Ben Leach
    6/20/2023
    Of the many plumbing services they offer, this is the second time I've engaged them for different types of work. James has been very helpful and efficient in scheduling a time for a roof leak repair. Very pleased that the work was completed promptly. Trust that they have addressed the issues at hand.
    tjokro aminoto Avatar
    tjokro aminoto
    12/13/2024
    Doherty's installed a tap in our warehouse. It was a particularly fiddly job and they delivered on time at a competitive price. Their staff were polite, professional and helpful.
    Kerrie King Avatar
    Kerrie King
    8/30/2023
    Came same day as I called to fix broken tap that couldn’t be turned off (had to turn water off at mains to stop flooding). Third time I’ve used them within 12 months for different issues. Very helpful, professional staff and reasonable pricing. Highly recommended.
    Garry & Wendy Grinsted Avatar
    Garry & Wendy Grinsted
    4/23/2024
    Communication pre visit was excellent. Yarra Valley water representative said that the problem was on our property and that you should have fixed it. We’re unsure about that and pleased that it was fixed promptly.
    Jane Woodman Avatar
    Jane Woodman
    1/13/2025
    The serviceman, George, was friendly and did an excellent job of repair on the pipes. I would highly recommend him and the company. Thanks. Mark
    Mark Hanns Avatar
    Mark Hanns
    6/20/2023
    Quick and efficient. The work was done as quoted and unlike many tradies they turned up when they said they would. Very happy with there work.
    Tony G Avatar
    Tony G
    12/13/2024
    Absolute pleasure to deal with. They installed our new toilets with care. They removed and disposed of the old as well as leaving the bathrooms clean. They also returned a few days later to check their work and if we were happy with them. Very happy to refer them to others.
    Chiara Weller Avatar
    Chiara Weller
    7/20/2023
    Doherty Plumbing is a reliable, quick responding, well priced plumbing service. George was on time, friendly and did a great job. Highly recommended
    Darryl Symes Avatar
    Darryl Symes
    11/30/2023
    For reliable plumbing services, call 03 9877 5775 or 0417 577 432