Got home from work (11:30pm) to find that I have no hot water. So I pop the two doors off the water heater to find that the pilot light is out. So I follow the steps to relight it. It stays lit until I turn the dial to warm then goes out. Relit it three times and the same thing each time. IT will stay lit but as soon as I turn the Dial half way to HOT the flames from the burner come out past the pilot light up the side of the water heater, with the inner door in place, then goes out. Any ideas?

Hi Chasmann

For flames to come up and out the side of the heater makes me think either that the chimney/smoke pipe is clogged, or more likely, that you let the gas run into the gas chamber for too long and it is igniting in a dangerous manner.

What you describe, minus the flames out the side of the heater, suggests that the THERMOCOUPLE is bad and needs to be replaced (cost about $6.00 at any home improvement store). Check out this video for more info.:



If you don't think you let the gas run into the combustion chamber for too long then unscrew/remove the smoke pipe from the heater and inspect the smoke pipe/chimney. If needed, light a corner on a paper bag and then blow it out and hold the bag up to the chimney... should suck the smoke in via a natural draft. If no natural draft then the chimney is the issue here.

Glad to discuss more if you want, OK?

Mark