Water heater "cycles" but doesn't turn on?

Unfortunately you are going to need to call a plumber... The company that we used gave us some suggestions before they even came out - at no charge! We ended up having to replace an internal part so it did require a visit BUT their service was guaranteed and we have not had a problem since (going on 2 years). The other option would be to contact the manufacturer to see if there was a recall (www.statewaterheaters.com) or if they can recommend a service company to use. It may be under warranty. Ours was 6 years old and was not. The company we used was Washington Water Heaters in the Seattle area. I'm sure there is a company close to you that would be willing to troubleshoot before sending someone out. They usually like good word of mouth.