The problem
An Austin homeowner woke up to no hot water. The before photo shows why: the water heater's sight glass is dark and spotted, with no flame behind it. The pilot light was out — and a pilot that won't stay lit means no burner, no heat, no hot water.
What we found
The culprit was the thermocouple — the small safety sensor that proves the pilot is lit and tells the gas valve it's safe to stay open. When a thermocouple fails, it does its job too well: it shuts the gas down, the pilot dies, and the heater goes cold. The tank itself was fine.
What we did
We replaced the thermocouple and relit the heater. The after photo is the same sight glass with the main burner firing — a full blue flame where there was darkness.
The result
Hot water restored the same visit, with a part replacement instead of a new water heater. Not every no-hot-water call needs a new tank — sometimes it needs the right diagnosis. This one did.
Dealing with a cold shower? Call for your free estimate visit: (512) 233-6590.