How do I know if my water heater gas valve is bad?

If the burner stays on, turn the gas supply off and replace the gas valve. If the pilot is lit, you have a tank of cold water, the thermostat turned up and the burner does not fire up, either the burner orifice is clogged or the water heater gas valve is bad.

What does gas control or valve failure?

Gas valves control the flow of gas from the gas supply line into the heating unit. If your furnace is not producing heat, a faulty gas valve could be the problem.

How does a water heater gas control valve work?

The gas control valve allows the pilot to be ignited, and the lit pilot heats the thermocouple. Once the water heater thermocouple is heated, it sends a signal to the gas control valve which allows the burner to operate, heating the water in the tank.

What causes a gas valve to go bad?

Gas valves can fail from a variety of causes including contamina- tion, product deficiency, and misuse.

How can you tell if the gas valve is bad?

Signs of a Faulty Gas Valve If the gas valve is stuck or otherwise malfunctioning, your furnace may shut down completely or just stop delivering warm air. There are other issues that may cause the same symptom, so you need an experienced technician to diagnose the problem and apply the proper repair.

How do you diagnose a bad gas valve?

Here are some signs that indicate your furnace has a bad gas valve.

  1. A Gas Leak. This is a major indicator that something could be wrong with the gas valve in your furnace.
  2. A Total Shutdown of the Furnace.
  3. A Flooded Furnace.
  4. Get Expert Services.

Is my gas valve bad?

If 24 volts is coming from the board to the gas valve terminals and you don’t hear that little clicking noise the internal valve makes, you could have a bad gas valve. To double-check, take the leads off to the gas valve and check there.

Can a gas valve be cleaned?

The gas valve should be cleaned at least once in a year. You can use a soft cloth or towel to wipe and clean the gas valve. The vents of the fireplace can also become dirty, mainly due to the accumulation of dry leaves, when the fireplace is not in use. Sometimes, this can also block the vents.

How do you clean a gas orifice pilot?

How to Clean the Orifice. Once the pilot tube is removed from the orifice, use a fine-grit sandpaper to clean off the tip of the orifice. This can remove any oxidation buildup or mineral deposits that have found their way to the crevices of the gas pilot orifice.