any tips on safely lighting a gas water heater pilot light?

[Coldjensens]

Push the button in. Hold a flame to the pilot until it lights. Hold the button for a while. Take your wife out for a $75 dinner.

How can it possibly take 5 minutes? You must be coutning the time to wlak in the door, go down the stairs, back up, close the door and start their car.

Do people really hire someone to do this? I have heard that people hire someone to change lightbulbs too. Maybe both are true.

[round tuit]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

I have heard that people hire someone to change lightbulbs too.

...how many people do you hire to change a light bulb?

[Ultrarunner]

It's really very simple and the new ones here don't even require an open flame...

My mom taught me and it is a skill that has served me well for thousands of relights.

As to safety... my advice is not to do anything in a confined space if you smell gas...

Even a pin hole leak will be very noticeable... in other words you will know if there is a leak.

All modern devices post WWII have safety gas valves... this is why they require holding down a knob or button and while waiting for the gas to get to the pilot so you can ignite it... sometimes this can take a minute of more if the unit has been off for an extended time.

Once the you see a flame... you must still hold down the button till the flame heats a little heat activated sensor next to the flame...

If you release the button too early you will have to start the process over again.

If the light fails to stay lit after repeated tries it is possible the thermocouple (Cheap) or the gas valve (Expensive) may need replacement...

Sometime just making sure the the connection to the gas valve is tight will fix the problem...

Don't be like my sister-in-law and go through all the steps an then fail to turn the heater from pilot to on or warm...