Hi penny1143;
If your gas is supplied by a commercial gas company, all you need to do is give them a call and they will come out and lite it for you. This is a free service that they perform for their customers. They will also do a carbon monoxide test at the same time.
Most propane services will also do this for you.
Please let me know if the company you get your gas from doesnt do this and I will walk you through the process.
Best, THS
Jack of all trades Master of a few.
#1 Home Improvement Expert. Over 30 years experience in construction, and home repairs
I do not have the time to call the gas company. I need to light the heater tomorrow 10/27/09 as the inspectors of the unit did not give me enough time to call the gas company. Can you please let me know how to light it??
Thank you
OK.
First make sure the thermostat os turned down all the way. Not off just down.
Open the unit up, and see if there is a knob that has ON, OFF, and PILOT written on it. There should be an indicator point that the word OFF is pointing to now. Turn the knob until the word PILOT aligns with that same point.
Locate the point where the pilot flame should be. This can be found by following the small gas tube from the main valve assembly to where it terminates.
Light a match and hold it at that point. Push in on the knob and the pilot should ignite. It may take a match or three to get the air out of the line if the unit is brand new, but not if it has been used before.
Once the pilot is lit, hold the knob in for at least a minuet.
Release the knob and if the pilot remains lit then turn the knob to the on position.
Turn the thermostat up and in a minuet or two the unit will fire up.
You should wear safety glasses and a face shield while doing this. IF (and that is a BIG if) the unit for some reason blows out a large flame you will be glad you did. This rarely occures but it happened to a good friend of mine. He was fully protected and suffered no serious injury. Had he not been wearing a face shield it would have been much worse. If anything stay well back and to the side of the unit while lighting the pilot.