Water Heater

[lindy rig]

We have a gas water heater.... Is it normal to small a little gas when it kicks on?

[Hookmaster]

Our's does it occasionally. I had the Home Service Plus guy check it for leaks with the sniffer when he was fixing our furnace and he didn't find any. He said they sometimes release a little.

[BoxMN]

My buddy is Excel gas guy, and he gets lots of calls on this, and gas smell from furnace. It just has the hint of gas when they start, he said if the smell stays, especially when it is off, then to call on it, but not only when it starts up.

[Redlantern]

Could be the regulator bleeding off a little with the change in pressure when gas is called for. If you are worried, either spray some soapy water on your gas lines and fittings or call someone out with a sniffer. DO NOT use a flame to look for a leak. Pretty obvious but some people are still trying to prove the Darwin theory by doing this.

[BobT]

Another thought. Considering we are getting toward the end of the heating season, is your gas supply getting toward time to refill? The chemical they add to produce the odor can settle toward the bottom of the tank and as your fuel supply is depleted the chemical to fuel ratio is increasing. As a result it is getting a stronger odor and it may not burn off as completely. We have a 150# supply for our gas fireplace and when we get down to less than about 30% full, we begin to notice a gas smell on occasion and this is what they told us was the likely cause.

[Surface Tension]

When the gas is sent to the burner it is ignited starting at the pilot or E igniter and the flame makes its way around the ring.

Till that flame makes its way around the ring unburnt gas is being exhausted. A dirty burner could prolong that time.

I guess I'd look to see if you have a blue flame or any carbon between the pilot and burner.

I'd also check to see if you have a negative pressure inside your home that is pulling air from the flue or the burners air supply.

[lindy rig]

Good information guys thanks. It is just a quick smell, for maybe 2-3 seconds and only when it ignites.