I didn't even notice at first! I got up as usual...4:30 am, got the coffee, woke up my husband, packed the lunches, made my husband's breakfast. Everything was going great, I was on schedule! Ten till seven and it's time for my bonus baby's bath. I cleaned the tub real fast, rinsed, and started the water. Waiting for the hot water to get up to the third floor, waiting, waiting, nope just luke warm water. I tried the sink, actually both sinks, nope just warm. NO HOT WATER!!! Not good!
I went down to tell my husband. He was leaving for work but told me what to look for. I was supposed to check to see if the pilot light was on. Okay...never did this before, I didn't even know where to look! He looked at the hot water heater and said look at the bottom toward the back. Okay!
I saw nothing!
He said, "pilot light is out!",
I said "WONDERFUL!"
Then he said "it could be the thermocouple."
I said "WONDERFUL!"
I said, "can I fix that?" He said "probably". Okay! I can do this!
He showed me where the directions were on the hot water heater to relight the pilot.
He left for work!
I got a flash light and a magnifying glass ( I knew I wouldn't be able to see it). The very first thing I saw was the top that said,
FOR YOUR SAFETY READ BEFORE LIGHTING
Warning: If you do not follow these directions exactly, a fire or explosion may result causing property damage, personal injury or loss of life.
Now, I was a little scared! But I did not panic. I took a deep breath an read on.
I did exactly what it said to do. I got right down on the floor and smelled for gas. Nope, no gas smell. Yay!
Next step.
I read the lighting instructions. I read them three times! I did not want to have a explosion this morning!
So, I followed the first step which is to turn the little knob to the off position.
I did that. OFF!
Now you have to let it sit for 5 minutes. Okay. Got It.
While I was waiting I started thinking about the whole thermocouple question. I knew what a thermocouple does, and I knew that I might have to replace it, so I did what I always do when I need to know how to do something I've never done...I googled it! Right away I found a video. I watched the video. Okay...now I knew exactly how to tell if I was going to have to replace the thermocouple and how to do it!
Yay!
Okay, five minutes were up.
I read the directions again.
I took off the little doors. That in it's self was not fun. Bad design!
I studied the diagram on the instructions.
I studied the inside of the burner area.
I determined which was the pilot and which was the thermocouple.
While I was studying the burner area I remembered the video talking about getting any debris off of the burner. Debris could clog the burner and cause it to not function well. Wow was there a ton of debris! I scooped it all off and put it on the floor beside the tank.
It was time!
I held my breath.
I moved the knob from the off position to the pilot position.
I lit the pilot light!!!
Yay!
Now the real test....will it stay lit? If it doesn't stay lit, I will have to replace the thermocouple.
It stayed lit!!!! Yay!
I turned the temperature knob to hot, and the burner came on!!
Yay!!
Then, I realized I couldn't put the stupid little doors back on with the burner on so I had to turn it down again. I think I used a bad word.
So, I turned it down and messed around with the little doors for at least five minutes! Finally I said too bad and left them kind of on and kind of off!
Oh well!
The pilot is lit and we have hot water again!!
I didn't panic, and I fixed it myself!
Yay! ( I love that word!)
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