My MIL just purchased a new home and the former owners put the gas hot water heater on "vacation", our friends do not know how to turn it on and the former owner is deceased, the relatives she willed it to do not know how to turn it on either. She called a service man and he is of no help and won't come until tomorrow and she is worried it will cost $50, just to turn it on.

Please, how do you turn on a GAS hot water heater safely?

Thank you very much

If the gas has been off in the house AND the unit has a standing pilot then the pilot will have to be relit.

In general there are 3 positions:

Off - The gas supply is turned off to the pilot and heater and the pilot will have to be lighted manually to start.

Vacation. Also called Pilot. This is where the Pilot light burns only. It's uded to shut down the water heater for an extended time.

ON - Allows the standing pilot to light the heater in respose to water temperature.

Whenever the system is turned to ON, the tank has got to have water in it.

1. Make sure the hot taps flow freely with cold water, otherwise look for a cold water inlet valve on the water heater

2 Just turn knob to on. Nearly right away, the burner should light.

Safeties are employed that the pilot must be lit before the main gas will be allowed to flow.

The control should also have a push button on it. That's used to help you light the pilot in the Vacation mode.

If it doesn't come on, familiarize yourself with the controls: temperature, (OFF/PILOT/ON) and the push button and come back.

Thank you, I can understand you, but try to talk to an old lady with her own mind made up. So she is going to let the service man come anyway, she doesn't trust anyone.

Thanks for you help.

Thanks. You just nned to re-assure her that if there is no pilot light and you turn the water heater to on, so gas will come out.

I'd urge you to get the model number and locate a manual. e.g. http://www.hotwater.com/lit/im/res_gas/184165-003.pdf

There are differences in the various hot water heaters, the above one has piezo manual start.

Others you light with a match. Much more difficult.

And still others may have an electronic ignition system and are direct vented.

If there isn't any electric power to the thing then you can have a manual piezo or you have to use a match to light the thing.

Lighting any gas appliance is tricky.

If it's standard manual lighting, then the instructs get replaced by something like:

1. Turn knob to Pilot (Vacation)
2. Remove the stuff at the bottom to expose the burner and pilot.
3. Press and hold the plunger that releases pilot gas. It usually faces up and light the pilot lamp. Long wooden match preferred. Continue holding for about 3 minutes.
4. release. The pilot should stay on.
5. Put covers back.
6. Turn temperature regulaltor to on.

Yes, I know, there are many types of gas heaters. I will get her a manual, thanks, and when the guy comes over he should know what to do. I am glad this happened, because she is crazy... she thinks you can turn off a water heater to save money. I prefer to just keep the dam thing on all the time if I am not going away.

Yep, my mom claims you can burn the pot if you put it on the gas stove with no water in it.

Even if the pilot assembly is between the two burners under the cover.

I know very well.

Or try: When you hang clothes, the socks have to be paired on the line. The underwear have to be hung with the underwear. The zippers of pants can't face the neighbors.

And...

If you hang a pair of boxer shorts sideways (maximizing linear space) , they will NEVER dry.

Some of the things your mother says are true, I wish I had a mom who said stuff like that... but I always get stuck with the crazy ones.