My 2 year old water heater started having problems last winter, we thought the high winds in the winter storms where blowing out the pilot light. We only had to relight it after a big storm now the pilot light won't stay burning for more than a few days if we are lucky, when I relit it yesterday it appeared to have water hitting the burner?? I hear I could have a crack in the tank, but should I be worried about any other problems I don't want to have to buy a new one if it is a venting problem. Also when the burner is working it is a very irradic flame it pulsates and is not completely blue I lookes like a stove burner in a breeze please help me! Fyi this is a manufactured home water heater and is piped from the botttom not the top. Thanks

If you have water dripping on the flame, you must find the leak and fix it (if possible) first. If that is not causing the problem, I suggest adjusting the pilot light by increasing the size of the flame. There should be a small screw for this adjustment. Has the burner assembly become clogged with rust because of the water leak ? Is there anything blocking the pilot light so that it is not getting enough air? It could be a venting problem but that would be un-common

Do you use natural gas or propane?
Herald, He's in a mobile home so he uses propane

There are few things you should first take a look at before you deal with heater itself.

1. Make sure your vent pipe has a cap. Vent should not be dirty and should be tall enough to produce positive draft. Also, you should not have single wall vent. You should use type "B" double wall vent.
2. Make sure you maintain space around the heater. Heater needs oxygen to burn. No oxygen, no flame. Some heaters have air intake registers on its side and bottom. They should be clean.
3. Make sure your gas pipe is not undersized. Do you have any other major gas appliance connected to that gas supply (... like furnace ?)
4. Make sure your gas valve is not half-way closed or your gas flex isn't kinked
5. Do inspection of your water supplies. Are they leaking ? Put your hand on top of the heater and see if you feel water.
6. Do you have Pressure Relieve valve installed on top of the heater?

Water heater condensates and as a result you will hear some water dripping on the burner. This usually happens when you light up cold heater after being turned off for some time. Heat heating cold water tank will produce condensation. I would not worry about dripping water now. Check 1 through 6 first, than get back to us...

Heater is a pressurized tank. If you have crack in the tank, than you will have continuous leak. Most likely, water would accumulate on the floor around the heater.

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when I relit it yesterday it appeared to have water hitting the burner?? I hear I could have a crack in the tank, but should I be worried about any other problems I don't want to have to buy a new one if it is a venting problem.

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I have a different take then Milo about the water. The source of the water should be your first concern. If a weld opened up in the tank you're looking at a replacement. Track the leak back and let us know. We can take it from there. Regards. Tom

Hi everyone thanks for all the imput, after doing research we do have crack in the tank! Haven't replaced it yet ; ) I just take cold showers hehehe thanks everybody!!