A malfunctioning water heater left one homeowner without hot water, but the more troubling discovery came when they tried to find the cause.
The resident turned to Reddit's r/Maintenance community for help and advice.
Here's what to know
In the Reddit thread, the homeowner explained that, "Igniter makes one click but produces no visible spark. I can smell and hear the gas when I call for it. I don't usually work on gas hot water heaters. I'm not really sure what to do past this point. I've turned the gas off for now. But yeah, the water went cold."
The original poster also wrote that, "I looked at the pilot light and it's not on and I can't get it to come on."
Commenters suggested several possible causes, including a failed igniter, a wiring problem, or a tripped safety limit. None of those suggestions, however, amounted to a confirmed diagnosis.
One suggested, "Take off that U shape guard and see if there's a push button limit that has tripped." Another wrote, "gotta keep clicking the clicker. Probably needs to be cleaned. Sensor may have failed. Regrettably, many options. Ironically, you won't get a status light until it is working again."
Other commenters questioned whether airflow was a problem or the heater needed cleaning.
For homeowners considering replacement rather than repair, a heat pump water heater could help lower energy bills and avoid the problems associated with gas appliances.
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What can be done?
If a gas odor is involved, repeated ignition attempts, or some commenters' suggestions to use a match or lighter, should not be a DIY project. It's almost always better to have a trained professional help when gas is involved.
And if replacement becomes necessary, Cala offers smart heat pump water heaters. Cala's customizable smart heat pump water heaters can help homeowners lower their energy bills by heating water exactly when needed.
Where can I learn more?
Other renters and homeowners have also reported gas smells around their water heaters.
• Another renter smelled gas whenever hot water ran, prompting warnings to stop using it.
• One homeowner smelled unlit gas before learning water heater fumes were filling the house.
• A new homeowner's kitchen smelled of gas, and plumbers warned that wasn't normal.
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