How do you lite a gas water heater pilot?

turn the gas dial (knob) to off. remove the access cover off the water heater on the bottom of the water heater. if the water heater is more than a few years old it will have to be lit with a match or equalivant. wait 5 minutes before lighting after the gas is shut off. turn the gas control knob to the pilot position and push the knob down. and hold it in that position. This will feed gas to the pilot burner. Inside you will see a short (1"-1-1/2") long x 1/8" silver colored shaft, just above this is usually that is where the gas comes out and where you should place the burning match immediately upon pushing the pilot knob down. This should light the water heater pilot flame. Continue holding the pilot knob down for approx. 1 minute after it is lit. That will heat up the thermocouple which will allow the gas to contnue to be supplied to the pilot burner. After approx. 1 minute you should be able to let off the control knob and the pilot flame should stay lit. If it does, replace the access cover and turn the control knob to "on". If it will not stay lite after burning for approx. 1 minute then the thermocouple may be bad and need to be replaced.

If you have a newer version it will have a pizo ignition (much like a gas bar-b-que grille) follow the above instructions but rather than inserting a match or similar device to light the pilot lite there is a little push button that you would push in the area of the "on" control knob, push and hold the pilot knob down and repeatly push the igniation button until lit. Do not hold the pilot gas valve in the open position without repeatedly striking the ignighter until the flame lights, otherwise there may be a flashback in the burner.