Okay, last Friday BGE (Baltimore Gas and Electric) turned off the gas supply to a couple row houses on my block. They said water had gotten in the gas line and they were in the process of clearing it out. On Tuesday, when I was able to get my heat back (electric ignitor), the service guy tried to relite my water heater's pilot (didn't keep button depressed 1 minute, then turn gas on, etc. - basically he didn't follow the instructions on the heater). Thursday night and Friday night I relit the pilot and turned the gas on and temperature up following the instructions. The pilot would light and then the burner would ignite, heating my tank. Several hours later, however, the pilot was out. I've heard that the thermocouple can cause your pilot to go out, but if my burner still lights then the thermocouple is okay, right? Everything was working fine until the BGE mishap - is there dirty gas somewhere? Is it still probably the thermocouple, even though my burner lights? Thanks for any help.

A lot of times soot will build up where the gas comes out for the pilot light --I have the same problem about once a year with my furnace. I remove the burner assembly and blow the soot clear. -- Savage

Look out next to the gas meter. Is there a tee with a capped pipe sticking down out of it?: If so that's a drip loop. This picks up any moisture in the gas line and stores it in the capped pipe before it gets to the heater. Sometimes the capped pipe gets full allowing water to enter the gas line and extinguish the pilot light. Turn the gas off at the meter stop, remove the hard cap and drain the capped line. After you tape the threads and replace the cap turn the gas on and test the joint by painting it with dish detergent. Any bubbles, shut the gas off and re do the joint. Good luck, Tom