How Do You Relight a Water Heater Pilot?
First make sure there's no gas smell. Turn the gas control knob to Off and wait about 5 minutes, or as long as the label says. Turn it to Pilot, press and hold it, and click the igniter until the pilot lights. Keep holding about a minute, release, then turn the knob to On.
That's the short version for the most common type of gas tank, the kind with a small flame that burns all the time. The label on your heater has the exact steps for your model, and it always wins over any general guide, including this one.
If your heater has no Pilot setting, or it plugs into an outlet, it probably has electronic ignition and there's nothing to light. If the pilot is burning fine and the water is still cold, our no hot water guide covers other causes.
Before You Start: The Label and the Smell Test
Where are the lighting instructions?
Look on the front of the tank, near the gas control or on the outer burner cover. It's usually a sticker titled something like "Lighting Instructions" or "For your safety read before lighting". Bring a flashlight. For an outside-access closet, pick a calm moment if it's windy.
Safety: Sniff near the floor around the heater before you touch anything, because gas can settle low. If you smell rotten eggs, stop. Don't light anything or flip any switch. Walk out of the house, and once outside, phone 911 and then Southwest Gas or your propane company.
What kind of gas water heater do I have?
- Standing pilot with a push-button igniter: a knob with Off, Pilot and On, a separate red or black igniter button, and a small window to see the flame. This is the most common type.
- Older open-burner tank: removable covers at the base and lighting by a long lighter. Follow the label exactly.
- Electronic ignition: a cord to an outlet, a status light, and no Pilot setting. There's no pilot for you to light.
Step-by-Step: Relighting a Standing Pilot
These steps follow the usual label order for a standing-pilot tank with a push-button igniter. If your label differs, follow the label.
- Turn the temperature dial to its lowest setting. This stops the main burner from coming on while you work.
- Turn the gas control knob to Off. Most knobs need a light push to turn.
- Wait for any gas to clear. Many labels say about 5 minutes. Use the time to sniff again. Any gas smell now means stop and leave.
- Turn the knob to Pilot. Then press and hold it down. This lets a small amount of gas flow to the pilot only.
- Press the igniter button. Click it every second or two while watching through the sight window. You should see a small blue flame appear.
- Keep holding the knob about a minute. Some labels say 30 to 60 seconds. This heats the thermocouple so it can hold the gas valve open.
- Release slowly and check the flame. It should stay lit on its own.
- Turn the knob to On and set the temperature. Turn the dial back to your setting, about 120°F for most homes. The main burner should light with a soft whoosh.
What if the pilot doesn't light after a few clicks?
Air in the line after a gas interruption can take a few tries to clear. If it still won't light after 30 seconds or so of clicking, turn the knob to Off and wait the full time again before a second try. Don't keep holding the knob down with gas flowing and no flame.
Sealed-Burner Tanks: Use the Igniter, Not a Match
Most gas tanks made in roughly the last two decades have a sealed burner chamber, part of the FVIR design that keeps flames away from fumes in a garage. The sight window is glass and doesn't open. You light these only with the built-in piezo igniter.
Don't remove the inner cover, pry at the sight glass or try to reach in with a lighter. The seal is part of the safety design. If you click the igniter and see no spark at all, the igniter, its wire or its electrode may be loose or broken. That's a repair, not a reason to find another way in.
Heaters With Electronic Ignition
Some newer gas tanks light the burner with an electronic igniter or a glowing hot-surface igniter, controlled by a circuit board. There is no pilot to relight. If it won't heat, check the basics:
- Is it plugged in, and does the outlet have power? Check for a tripped breaker or GFCI outlet.
- Is the gas valve on the supply line open, with the handle in line with the pipe?
- What is the status light doing? Count the blinks and look up the code in the manual or on the label.
Many manuals describe a reset, such as turning the control off and on or unplugging the unit for a short time. Use only the procedure in your manual. These heaters stop during power outages, and storms can affect their controls; our post on monsoon outages and surges covers what to check afterward.
Why Won't the Pilot Stay Lit?
Why does it go out as soon as I let go of the knob?
The thermocouple isn't sending enough signal to hold the gas valve open. Sometimes the knob wasn't held long enough. More often the thermocouple is worn, its tip isn't sitting in the flame, or the pilot flame is small and weak from a dirty pilot tube. A thermocouple is a common, inexpensive part, but it's one to have tested and replaced, not bent into place.
Why does it light, then go out hours later?
- Drafts and wind: outside closets with louvered doors and windy garages can blow a pilot out, especially during monsoon gusts.
- A clogged flame arrestor: desert dust, lint and pet hair block the air intake at the base, and the flame starves.
- Venting or draft problems: exhaust that isn't leaving properly can smother the pilot.
- Condensation: on a cold start, drips from the flue can land on the flame. Our condensation vs. leak guide explains when that's normal.
- The gas supply: a partly closed valve or a propane tank running low.
Dusty garages are hard on these heaters. Our post on garage water heaters in Arizona covers keeping the area clear. For the repairs themselves, from thermocouples to venting, see our gas water heater repair service.
When to Stop and Call
- You smell gas at any point
- The pilot goes out a second time within a day
- The igniter doesn't spark, or the pilot flame is yellow and lazy instead of blue
- You see soot, scorch marks or melted plastic near the top or base
- Flame rolls out of the burner area when the main burner lights
- There's water around the base or near the gas control (that's a separate problem; see our gas valve leak guide)
We're open 24/7 at +1 480-863-0807. If the heater is leaking as well as cold, start with how to shut off the water heater, then call. For anything urgent, our emergency water heater service runs day and night, and our water heater FAQ has quick answers on other problems.
Relighting After a Season Away
Many winter residents in Apache Junction set the gas control to Pilot or Off before leaving. Note that the "Vacation" setting is different: it keeps the water warm at a low temperature, and the burner can still fire. Coming back, check that the tank is full before relighting. Open the cold supply, run a hot tap until it flows without sputtering, then follow the steps above. Our snowbird water heater checklist covers the full return routine. Mobile-home closets get dusty over a summer; our mobile home water heater page explains those closets. If the tank was dripping when you got back, our leak repair team can help.
Relighting a Pilot: FAQs
Can I use a lighter to relight my water heater pilot?
Only on older open-burner tanks whose label tells you to, and then with a long lighter. Most newer tanks have a sealed burner with a built-in igniter, and the sight window doesn't open. Trying to reach the pilot another way breaks the safety seal. If the igniter won't spark, call for a repair instead of improvising.
How long after relighting the pilot will I have hot water?
The main burner lights within moments of turning the knob to On, but a full tank of cold water takes time to heat. A typical 40 or 50 gallon gas tank needs roughly an hour or so to reach normal temperature. You'll have some warm water sooner. If nothing warms up after a couple of hours, call.
Can wind or a monsoon storm blow out my pilot?
It can, mostly on heaters in outside closets or with a damaged vent cap, where gusts push air back down the flue. If the pilot only goes out on windy days, check that the closet door seals and the vent cap is intact. Our post on monsoon storms and water heaters covers other storm checks.
Is it safe to relight a water heater pilot myself?
For most people, yes, if there's no gas smell, the label is readable, and you follow its steps in order. It's not safe if you smell gas, see soot or scorch marks, or the flame rolls out of the burner. In those cases, leave the knob on Off and call. Relighting the same pilot again and again isn't a fix.
Do I need to relight the pilot after the gas was shut off at the meter?
Yes. When gas to the house is shut off, for a leak repair, a meter change or an unpaid-bill shutoff, every standing pilot goes out. When service comes back, each pilot needs relighting. Some gas company crews relight appliances when they restore service; if yours didn't, follow the label steps, starting with the smell check and the full waiting time.