How To Light Richmond Water Heater Pilot Light?

You should know how to light the Richmond Water Heater for safe operation. And this how-to guide will walk you through a step-by-step guideline to light the pilot successfully. Without further ado, let’s dive in. 

Safety Guidelines Before Operating

Before operating the water heater, read the safety instructions below. Please maintain the safety tips to ensure safe operation. 

• Never try to open the inner door and light the pilot by hand if your water heater has a spark igniter button.
• Before light, check the area around the unit for gas smell. If you smell gas, don’t try to light the pilot. You can’t even touch any electric switches or your smartphone. 
• Use your neighbor’s phone to call the gas supplier company. 
• Never use any tools to turn the gas control knob. Instead, use your hand to turn the gas control knob. 
• Don’t use your water heater if any parts of the water heater go under water. 

How To Light Richmond Water Heater Pilot Light?

Try these steps to light the pilot on your Richmond Water Heater like a pro: 

• Turn the combination gas control/thermostat knob left to the Off position.

• Wait for five minutes to clear out any gas. If you smell gas, read the safety guidelines mentioned above. 

• Take out the outer door from the water heater. Never try to remove the inner door assembly. 

• Locate the igniter or piezo-electric spark generator button. You can find it just right below the combination gas control/thermostat knob. 

• Turn the combination gas control/thermostat knob right to the Pilot position.

• Press and hold down the gas control/thermostat knob while pressing the spark igniter button several times until the status light begins to blink. 

• Once the pilot light comes on, verify that the pilot is light by seeing through the sight glass window on the inner door. 

• Replace the outer door. 

• Release the gas control/thermostat knob button. The knob should pop back out. 

• Set the gas control/thermostat knob to your desired temperature setting.

Note: If the status light doesn’t come on after 90 seconds and the pilot is not lit, repeat the steps from 1 to 6. Feel free to call a professional if you fail to light the pilot after trying several lighting attempts. 

Read Also: Richmond Water Heater Troubleshooting

How To Light Richmond Water Heater Pilot Light With Automatic Ignition Device?

Some water heater models from Richmond come with an ignition device. It will automatically light the burner. To light such a water heater, go along with the following steps: 

• Read the safety guidelines mentioned at the beginning of this article.

• Set the On/Off switch to the Off position. You can find this switch next to the control display. 

• This water heater (Encore Super High-Efficiency model) has an ignition device to light the burner automatically. 

• Check the surroundings of the unit for gas smell. If you smell gas, read the safety guidelines. If not, go forward to the next step. 

• Turn on the electric supply to the water heater with the switch to the right of the control display. 

• Set the temperature to your desired setting.

• If the unit won’t come on, turn the gas supply off.

Read the specific user manual for your Richmond Water Heater model for accurate instructions. If you feel uncomfortable, feel free to contact a certified plumber.  

Read Further: Richmond Electric Water Heater Troubleshooting