We have a Whirlpool hot water heater installed in early 2012, model #N30T61-303. The unit is still under factory warranty, so we can get the parts under warranty, just need to figure out what the issue is.

The water heater pilot has been going out sporadically over the last couple of weeks. Maybe once every 2-3 days we discover it's gone out. Toward the end of last week, it went out several times over a 2-day period. When we relight, we have to hit the thermal switch reset. Pilot lights fine, burner ignites, and tank will heat water. It seems to be going out after we use hot water - for example, after one of us showers.

I called Whirlpool, and they advised me to clean underneath the water heater thoroughly, and said 9 times out of 10, it's dust or debris under the heater causing this. We did that, and there was a fair amount of dust under there. (It's practically spotless under there now!) Water heater worked fine all weekend. This morning we both showered before work, and it went out at some point during that, as the end of my shower was cold.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what to look at?

 

I suspect that the burner assembly needs to be cleaned.