water heater pilot

Twice in a year, my water heater's pilot light has gone out and the drip pan overflowed. I cannot tell which causes the other.

The water is not from the heat/pressure release tube, the overflow does not reach the pilot and there are no live leaks.

Any hints?

HankC

Reply to
HankC
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your tank is about to fail completely, it begins leaking, puts out the pilot light, adds water to the drip pan, then rust inside the tank plugs the leak.

if theres anything that can be damaged by a leak replace tank immediately

Reply to
hallerb

Sounds possible, but there is no water inside the pilot chamber.

The last incident was in August and again yesterday.

HankC

Reply to
HankC

Hmmm, Wait until the tank fails altogether causing flooding or replace it now.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Okay. I'll bite. Now, tell us the history, and water quality/heater longevity in your area.

J
Reply to
barry

water leak can occur in flue area, its a tube that runs inside the tank from burner to chimney flue connection.

I had one of those unexplained outage tanks, pilot out a little water on floor.

it finally burst one night water sprayed out the top of the flue pipe area.

only takes little water to put out a pilot, the heat then dries up the water.

tanks are realtively cheap long life items.

if average life is 10 years cost say 500 bucks installed 50 bucks a year, about a cheap candy bar a week.

if you run out of hot water buy a larger higher BTU tank. my 50 gallon

75K btu one almost never runs out, my 40 gallon 34,000 btu did by the end of every shower.......

better tank costs a little more but its mnoney well spent

Reply to
hallerb

boy your profitable, congrats. what part of the country are you in? the tank costs what 300 bucks? supplies 20 bucks tops?

why so expensive

Reply to
hallerb

I get $1250.00 for a 40 gallon natural gas, chimney vent.

Reply to
B-Hate-Me

...Update...

The plumber came to check the water heater and noted the nearby a/c unit's condensation overflow uses the same drain. This is a 2nd floor closet installation.

The drain was clogged and the a/c overflow backflowed into the w/h pan. This explains why it started again in May after not occuring all winter.

The fix was to cut out some flooring, run individual drains each with it's own cleanout and trap to the main floor drain and recover the floor with some sheet metal. Lots of elbows but a total bill of $180.

A new 40-gal natural gas water heater would have been $560 installed here.

HankC

Reply to
HankC

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