The correct flame color should be a light blue with the minimum of yellow tips. Incorrect flame color is yellow or sharp blue orange. If you see the burner flame color is yellow and lazy do the following: Provide sufficient fresh air to the water heater, especially if the unit is installed in the confined area.
Contents
- 1 What should a water heater flame look like?
- 2 Should my water heater flame be orange?
- 3 How do you fix a yellow flame on a gas water heater?
- 4 Should there always be a flame in the water heater?
- 5 What color should a pilot light flame be?
- 6 How high should the flame be on a gas water heater?
- 7 How long does it take for water heater to heat up?
- 8 What causes soot in a water heater?
- 9 Why would the pilot light go out on a hot water heater?
- 10 Does a water heater have a flame?
- 11 How do you test a water heater burner?
- 12 What does a noisy flame indicate?
- 13 Why does a blue flame burn orange?
- 14 How do you adjust the pilot flame on a hot water heater?
What should a water heater flame look like?
Know what the color your flame is telling you means: Blue – Gas burners burn blue if the ratio of fuel to air is correct. Orange – Orange flame is usually dust or dirt being burnt. Yellow – Air is not getting to the flame, this needs to be inspected immediately.
Should my water heater flame be orange?
1 Answer. The flame of any natural-gas appliance should be blue in color (with maybe a little yellow at the very tip of the flame). The orange flame of your water heater indicates that the gas is not combusting efficiently, and it’s a sure sign that your heater needs adjustment or repair.
How do you fix a yellow flame on a gas water heater?
How to solve yellow or orange flames
- Remove the scale from the top of the gas burner.
- Ventilation can very well be the issue, give your water heater proper ventilation and sufficient air.
- If the flue or vent system is blocked, make sure to find the cause, clean the pipes and remove the blockage.
Should there always be a flame in the water heater?
The thermocouple’s job is to shut a gas safety valve if the pilot light goes out. That’s important because gas is always being supplied to the pilot to keep the flame lit. But if the pilot flame goes out, then the gas would still be released. After a while, the gas could collect in your home and become a health hazard.
What color should a pilot light flame be?
The color of the pilot light should be blue because that means that only natural gas—without any other condensates—is reaching the pilot light through the gas main. The principal chemical compound found in natural gas is methane, and methane burns blue.
How high should the flame be on a gas water heater?
The gas flames should about 1/2 inch in height and should have blue tips (yellow flames indicate dirty burner jets or an improper air mixture).
How long does it take for water heater to heat up?
The average gas heater takes between 30 and 40 minutes to fully heat up the water in its tank. The average electric heater takes about twice as long as the average gas heater to fully heat up the water in its tank, so you can expect it to take between an hour and an hour and 20 minutes to heat up.
What causes soot in a water heater?
Dirty Soot The wrong mixture of air and gas is the cause of soot produced by a hot water heater. Build-up or debris can get caught in the burner, disrupting the proper flow of gas. Debris also can block the vent or flue, which doesn’t allow carbon monoxide to escape.
Why would the pilot light go out on a hot water heater?
Some of the most common reasons that water heater pilot lights go out include: A faulty thermocouple. Over time, thermocouples can begin to malfunction and shut off the gas supply to the pilot light even if it’s burning properly. A bent or dirty thermocouple.
Does a water heater have a flame?
Preventing accidents. Most of today’s gas water heaters are equipped with the FVIR or Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant technology and unique flame-arrestor feature, which prevents the flame and burning vapors from escaping the combustion chamber risking the open fire and potentially – explosion.
How do you test a water heater burner?
How to inspect the burner flames. A soft blue flame is the sign of the correct gas combustion. Use the viewport at the bottom of the water heater to examine the burner flames at least twice a year. If you see blue tips with the yellow inner cones, it is still OK.
What does a noisy flame indicate?
A flame that hisses or roars either has too much air in the mix or has the gas level turned up too high. The flame should hiss only if you are producing a very hot flame — hotter than desirable for most tasks.
Why does a blue flame burn orange?
Gas burner orifices may become clogged from a buildup of soot, which results in an uneven supply of fuel to the burner. When the flame burns the soot, the resulting incandescence is orange. The air shutter might be sized improperly or might be damaged, preventing the correct amount of oxygen to mix with the fuel.
How do you adjust the pilot flame on a hot water heater?
2) The pilot flame may need to be adjusted higher. Some water heaters have a flame adjustment screw that can be turned to adjust the flame. Refer to your owner’s manual but usually this screw can be adjusted by turning it with a screwdriver until there is a steady 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch flame with no yellow in it.
