If you were unlucky enough to get a substantial amount of water in your basement, you probably had your gas appliances go off.  It can be very difficult as I found yesterday to get those appliances going again.  Here's a few tips that helped me out.

1.  Follow instructions on your appliance, if you are unsure, call a professional or your utility company. Natural gas can be dangerous!

2.  Use a dehumidifier in the room ASAP. I have two of them running downstairs as soon as we had the water all cleaned out.  I've been leaving them run constantly for the last few days.  The air needs to be as dry as possible for those pilot lights to restart.

3.  Get a blow dryer. I used my wife's blow dryer, and blasted it on high right where the pilot should be.  It helps cook off the moisture that you'll get.

4.  Set up a box fan nearby. Putting a fan on high near the appliance will also help dry it out.

5.  On water heaters, make sure the bottom is clear of debris. The way most water heaters work is that they vent air into the burning chamber from the ground.  If air can't get in because it's plugged, the flame won't stay lit.

For basic instructions on how to light a gas water heater, check out this video.

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