Hot Water Heater Thermocouple Cleaning

A thermocouple or flame sensor is a device used to control gas flow in gas water heaters on older style heaters with standing pilot lights the device is typically called a thermocouple while on newer units with electronic ignition the same or virtually the same device is called a flame sensor for our purposes we ll refer to both devices as the thermocouple.

Hot water heater thermocouple cleaning.

Remove the burner assembly and detach the thermocouple. Slide the thermocouple through the metal bracket. The thermocouple is a safety device located by the pilot light on your furnace. I am not a professional just documenting how i repaired the hot water heater s pilot light to stay on.

If the water heater is still failing to heat the water the thermocouple may be completely defective the pilot itself could be restricted the igniter could be faulty the gas valve could be malfunctioning or the pressure switch in the power vent blower housing may have failed. Find the right water heater parts with repair clinic. A hot water heater that doesn t heat might just need a new thermocouple. Your water should heat up within a little while.

Insert the bolts and attach a nut to each one. Inside the burner compartment of your gas water heater right in front of the pilot light is a small metal cylinder called a thermocouple. If it accumulates soot it can give off a faulty reading and shut off the furnace. Turn the power on to the hot water heater.

Keep the new thermocouple clean so that it continues working properly. It s a simple inexpensive repair that could save you a bundle. That s why it is important that the thermocouple should be kept working. Hence hot water supply will cease today we ll show you how to clean the thermocouple on your water heater to avoid this inconvenience.

Learn how to replace this inexpensive part and keep your hot water heater working for years to come. The cleaning of thermocouple should be done on a regular basis. If you don t it will eventually prevent the water from heating up. To clean the thermocouple in a water heater is an important maintenance procedure.

Fortunately cleaning a thermocouple is a repair most handy homeowners can do themselves. On the other hand when thermocouple detects the heat it keeps the gas line open. Tighten the bolts with an adjustable wrench or pliers. 1 cause of pilot lights that won t stay lit is a worn out.

Before you replace a broken hot water heater check to make sure the thermocouple still works.