Ray DeVoe wrote:

I am hoping to get some information about a problem I am having with my hot
water heater.

About a week ago we got some water in the basement, and ever since then, the
pilot on my hot water heater goes out every few days.

I have no problems re-lighting it, and it heats the water to the proper
temperature. I didn't know if water can damage the pilot to where it would
need to be replaced, or maybe it's just dirty and needs to be replaced.....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ray



Water actually rose high enuf to get *in* the pilot??
If so, yes that can damage it. The pilot orifice is
god-awful tiny. It wouldn't take much muck to
clog it a bit.

There are a whole lot of different burner/pilot designs
so how you take it out and clean varies.
If you get it out, my preference would be for compressed
air blown back thru it.