Pilot Light & Ignition Repair for Gas Water Heaters in Atlanta
Standard hours are 8 AM–5 PM weekdays — evenings and weekends are handled as emergency service, not a next-day wait.
When to Call a Professional Instead of Relighting It Yourself
If your pilot light has gone out and there is no smell of gas, you can attempt to relight it by following the instructions printed on your water heater's label. Most manufacturers include a step-by-step guide directly on the unit. If the pilot relights and stays lit, you may not need a service call.
Call us instead of attempting a relight if any of the following apply:
- You smell gas anywhere near the water heater or in the room
- The pilot relights but won't stay lit after you release the control button
- You've tried relighting it more than once without success
- The unit uses electronic ignition and you hear clicking but no ignition
- You're not sure what you're looking at or don't feel comfortable with the process
If you smell gas, don't attempt to relight the pilot, don't operate any switches or appliances, and leave the area before calling your gas provider and then us. Gas safety isn't something to troubleshoot under pressure — it's something to hand off to a professional immediately.
A pilot light is the small, continuously burning flame inside your gas water heater that ignites the main burner whenever your tank needs to heat water. When it goes out — or when the electronic ignition system fails on newer units — your water heater can't produce heat, and you lose hot water entirely. It's one of the more common gas water heater problems homeowners across Atlanta call us about, and in most cases it has a clear, fixable cause.
Pilot lights go out for a number of reasons: a dirty or worn thermocouple (the safety sensor that keeps the pilot burning), a clogged pilot orifice, a faulty gas valve, or a draft that blows the flame out. On units with electronic ignition, the igniter itself can fail or the control board can malfunction. None of these are problems you have to live with — and none of them mean your water heater needs to be replaced.
What a Pilot Light Does — and Why It Matters When It Goes Out
What We Diagnose and Repair
A pilot light that won't stay lit is a symptom, not a diagnosis. When we arrive, we identify the actual cause before any repair work begins. The most common issues we find and fix include:
- Thermocouple failure — the part that signals the gas valve to stay open when the pilot is lit; when it wears out, the pilot shuts off as a safety measure
- Dirty or blocked pilot orifice — a small opening that can accumulate mineral deposits or debris over time, restricting gas flow to the flame
- Faulty gas valve — when the valve itself isn't functioning correctly, neither the pilot nor the main burner can operate reliably
- Electronic igniter failure — on units without a standing pilot, the spark igniter or hot surface igniter can wear out and need replacement
- Control board issues — on more advanced units, the electronic control board governs ignition sequencing and can fail independently of the igniter
We carry common replacement parts on our trucks so that most pilot light and ignition repairs can be completed in a single visit. If your water heater pilot light repair turns out to be straightforward, you'll have hot water back the same day we arrive.
Pilot Light & Ignition Repair — Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my pilot light keep going out even after I relight it?
The most common cause is a failing thermocouple — the safety sensor that tells your gas valve the pilot is burning and it's safe to stay open. When the thermocouple wears out, it sends a weak or inconsistent signal, and the valve shuts the gas off as a precaution. A thermocouple replacement is a straightforward repair that resolves this in most cases.The most common cause is a failing thermocouple — the safety sensor that tells your gas valve the pilot is burning and it's safe to stay open. When the thermocouple wears out, it sends a weak or inconsistent signal, and the valve shuts the gas off as a precaution. A thermocouple replacement is a straightforward repair that resolves this in most cases.Is it safe to relight my own pilot light?
If there is no gas smell and your water heater has printed relight instructions on the label, following those instructions is generally safe for most adults. If you smell gas, hear hissing near the unit, or feel uncertain at any point, stop and call a professional. The risk in a DIY relight isn't the relight itself — it's proceeding when there's an underlying gas issue that needs diagnosis first.If there is no gas smell and your water heater has printed relight instructions on the label, following those instructions is generally safe for most adults. If you smell gas, hear hissing near the unit, or feel uncertain at any point, stop and call a professional. The risk in a DIY relight isn't the relight itself — it's proceeding when there's an underlying gas issue that needs diagnosis first.My water heater clicks but won't ignite — what does that mean?
Clicking without ignition on a unit with electronic ignition usually points to a failed igniter, a problem with the gas supply reaching the burner, or a faulty control board. It's a different failure path than a standing pilot light going out, and it typically requires a service call to diagnose properly.Clicking without ignition on a unit with electronic ignition usually points to a failed igniter, a problem with the gas supply reaching the burner, or a faulty control board. It's a different failure path than a standing pilot light going out, and it typically requires a service call to diagnose properly.How long does a pilot light or ignition repair usually take?
Most repairs take one to two hours on-site. Thermocouple replacements and igniter swaps are among the faster repairs we do, and we stock common parts on our trucks. If a part needs to be ordered, we'll let you know upfront before any work begins.Most repairs take one to two hours on-site. Thermocouple replacements and igniter swaps are among the faster repairs we do, and we stock common parts on our trucks. If a part needs to be ordered, we'll let you know upfront before any work begins.Could a pilot light problem mean my water heater needs to be replaced?
In most cases, no. Pilot light and ignition failures are component-level repairs, not indicators that the unit has failed. If your water heater is older than 12 to 15 years and experiencing repeated ignition issues alongside other problems, replacement may be worth discussing — but that's a conversation we'll have honestly with you after we've seen the unit, not an assumption we'll make before we arrive.In most cases, no. Pilot light and ignition failures are component-level repairs, not indicators that the unit has failed. If your water heater is older than 12 to 15 years and experiencing repeated ignition issues alongside other problems, replacement may be worth discussing — but that's a conversation we'll have honestly with you after we've seen the unit, not an assumption we'll make before we arrive.
Gas Water Heater Ignition Issues Deserve a Real Diagnosis
A pilot light problem that keeps coming back isn't just an inconvenience — it's a sign that something in your ignition system needs attention. The right fix addresses the cause, not just the symptom, so you're not relighting the pilot every few weeks and wondering when it will happen again.
We diagnose gas water heater ignition and pilot light failures across metro Atlanta and give you a straight answer on what's wrong and what it will take to fix it. Call us at 770-885-6622 to schedule a repair or reach us by email at services@atlplumbingsolutions.com.