Troubleshooting your gas water heater isn't as hard as one might think, and most problems can easily be identified with the following guide.
Your first and utmost priority should be to make sure there is no gas odor coming from your heater. If you smell gas you should call your gas company immediately and have them check for any leaks. Once that has been accomplished you are ready to begin.
If the problem is no hot water as in the scenario above, you'll want to check to see if the pilot light is lit or not by removing the access covers to the heater. If the pilot light isn't lit then you can try re-lighting the pilot light by following the instructions located on your heater.
If it will not re-light however, the problem may be that you have a clogged line. If the pilot will light, but it won't stay lit it's possible your thermocouple could be loose or defective, your thermostat could be defective, or you could have a draft somewhere that is causing the pilot light to go out.
If your pilot light is lit, turn your hot water on for several minutes and see if your burner is on. If your burner does not come on then your problem may be a bad thermostat. If your burner is on check to make sure your control button is set to on and not pilot, and be sure that the thermostat is up high enough to heat the water. Also check to make sure the flue is not clogged.
If your pilot flame is too large or too small it usually means you have the wrong pilot burner and you'll want to replace it.
If the flame is too small it could also mean your pilot line is clogged and you can clean try cleaning the line.
If your hot water heats up, but runs out quickly or your hot water takes a while to heat back up, it could mean your faucets are leaking which means you'll need to replace or repair the faucets, there is sediment in your heater in which case you can try to drain the heater and use a water treatment to eliminate the problem, or your calibration is incorrect and you'll need to replace the control valve.
If you've discovered your hot water heater is leaking, there could be a drip coming from your relief valve which means you'll want to install an expansion tank, there is a hold in your tank and you'll need to replace the heater or the plumbing connection is leaking somewhere which should be repaired ore replaced.
If there is condensation on the outside of your heater it means your heater was probably installed in an enclosed space and you'll want to refer to your users manual and most likely see about providing proper ventilation for your heater.
If you have rust or odors coming from your hot water, you should probably clean your tank or you can change your anode rod to aluminum which should correct the problem.
If your water is too hot, your thermostat is probably set too high and you'll want to lower it, the thermostat is defective and you'll want to replace it or you have a blocked exhaust vent which you'll want to clear.
And finally if there are noises that go bump in the night and you're sure it's not a ghost making its home in your hot water heater, check for sediments in the tank and flush it.
Knowing just what the problem is can eliminate much of the trouble and help in keeping your gas water heater and your hot water in sizzling shape.
