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In most cases, yes, it’s safe to light a gas water heater manually, but you should shut the gas off first, open a window, and let the space air out for about 10 minutes. Modern water heaters shut the gas off entirely if the pilot light goes out, but airing out the area beforehand is good practice and will ensure it’s safe to relight your pilot light manually. Just make sure you turn the gas valve to “pilot” before lighting. If the light keeps going out or won’t light at all, call in a professional.

No, homeowners should never attempt to fix a gas leak themselves. Gas leaks pose serious health and fire hazards. Exposure to leaking gas can make you sick, and accumulated gas can ignite and explode. So always take leaks seriously and seek the help of a pro right away. While you may be able to detect a gas leak, always call a licensed professional to handle repairs and replacements.

If your home uses more than one gas appliance, you'll continue to use gas, even outside of the heating season. Your water heater, gas stove and oven, and gas dryer will all use some gas, although typically much less than a furnace. Additionally, those appliances may also have a pilot light that is lit continually, using a small amount even when no one is at home.

You can and should vent the gas from your hot water heater to the outside of your home. Traditionally, these gases were vented back to other gas appliances, like stoves or furnaces, but many jurisdictions have outlawed this practice due to the risks it provides. 

Most water heaters today use atmospheric venting that exhausts the gas out of the home through a pipe.