Homeowners can find that trying to light the pilot light on Richmond water heaters is a frustrating experience, mostly because the Richmond water heater no longer uses the old fashioned pilot light, but an ignition switch and an internal pilot light. Using an electronic ignition has its pluses and minuses. The minus is repair to the switch must be done by a professional, the plus is that it is easier and safer to light than a pilot light.
Step 1
Make sure the gas or oil feed to your Richmond water heater is in the "on" position and the unit is plugged into an electrical source.
Open the door at the base of the front of your Richmond water heater. Do this by grabbing the small handle on the door, pulling it up and then out from the water heater. These doors are not made with hinges but slide into place like a drawer.
Look inside the door. You will see a feed line and an ignition button. Both will be clearly labeled. Make sure the knob on the feed line is turned to "on", then press and hold the ignition button down for 5 seconds and then release. This will light the internal pilot light. On some models the ignition knob is located on the outside of the tank, above the door, but the feed line will still be inside.
Step 4
Repeat Step 3 if you do not hear the tell-tale "whoosh" sound of the pilot catching.