When you think about all the appliances in your household, one that you may overlook is your hot water heater. It’s typically out of the way and out of your mind. That is until you experience an issue with it. We’ll address some of the most common malfunctions that most homeowners experience with their water heaters. We’ll also help to provide you with some useful tips on how to repair the issue swiftly and when to seek professional assistance.
No Hot Water
One really annoying issue you may experience with your water heater is that it isn’t producing hot water. This can be the result of a couple of different things. One of the first places you want to look is your panel box to see if the circuit breaker for your water heater got tripped. If it did, simply reset it and make sure it doesn’t trip again.
If the circuit breaker is on, then you may have a problem with the fuel supply going to your water heater. If you have a gas water heater, then there may be a problem with the gas orifice, such as debris blocking the gas from entering the water heater’s burner. You can check the burner to see if there’s a flame going. If not, you likely have a gas supply issue. If you have an electric water heater, then the heating elements inside may be faulty and in need of replacement. You’ll need to have a professional come in and assess this issue and replace the faulty elements as necessary.
Low Water Pressure
One frustrating problem that you may end up dealing with is that your hot water line seems to have a very low pressure to it. You want to first check your cold water lines to see if it’s an issue with your entire plumbing system. If the problem is particular solely to your hot water lines, it’s a key indication that there’s a blockage somewhere in the line.
In some cases, one of our plumbing professionals can flush the line to remove the sediment buildup. However, in cases of severe corrosion, the entire line will need to be replaced. This problem tends to be most common in households that have hard water as it will cause corrosion inside of the piping over time.
Leaking Water
One particularly alarming issue that your water heater may have is that it’s leaking water. It’s important to figure out where the water is coming from so that you can gain some insight into where the issue lies. If the water is leaking out of one of the inlets or the drain valve, you may simply need to tighten it back up. If the water is leaking out of the bottom of the tank, it’s an indication that there’s excessive corrosion that has eaten away at the tank. In cases of excessive corrosion, you’ll need to have one of our professionals come out and install a new water heater for your home.
Water Too Hot
It isn’t uncommon to experience water that is too hot during the summer months. In a lot of cases, this is simply the fact that you left the thermostat setting at a high level. It’s pretty common for homeowners to increase the temperature of their water heater during the winter months to help compensate for the cold weather. However, when the summer rolls back around, it’s important to revisit the settings on your water heater’s thermostat. Be sure that you don’t set it any lower than 120 degrees Fahrenheit, as this can allow unsafe bacteria to grow inside your tank and contaminate your water.
Strange Noises
When your water heater naturally runs, it’s going to create some popping and crackling noises. This is simply the metal of the tank moving with the differences in temperature. However, if you start to hear noises that are out of the norm, such as a rumbling or excessive vibration, it could be an indication of a possible problem with your system. It’s best to have one of our professionals further determine the root cause of the issue so that they can repair it swiftly. It isn’t uncommon for things like sediment buildup to be the root cause of these alarming noises.
Discolored Water
One thing you never want to see when you turn on your hot water faucet is brown or red water coming out. If you do, this is a big cause for concern as it can be very dangerous to consume. Water that’s tinted a brown or reddish hue typically has rust flakes in it. These flakes will come off the inside of your hot water tank as it corrodes due to the excessive mineral buildup. In some cases, our plumbers can flush your water tank and test the water to see if it’s clean. However, in a lot of cases, the corrosion will be so extensive that you’ll need to replace your water heater in order to get your water back to normal.
Rotten Eggs Smell
Another scenario you don’t want to find yourself dealing with is water that smells like rotten eggs or sulfur. If you do, it usually means that there’s bacteria growing on the inside of your water heater tank. This typically happens after homeowners turn down the thermostat on their water heaters when they’re on vacation.
You never want to set your water heater below that 120-degree Fahrenheit mark as it can allow this unsafe bacteria inside your tank. Sometimes, we can use a specialized cleaning solution in order to remove that bacteria from inside of your tank. In other cases, you may need to get a full tank replacement if the cleaning solution doesn’t work.
Overload
One reason that your water heater may be producing cold water is that you just have too much of a demand for it. This can happen if you’re trying to do things like running your dishwasher, clothes washer, shower, and multiple sinks all at once. Try turning off some of your appliances and fixtures to see if the water temperature increases at the ones that are still on. If it does, it’s a key indication that you’re overloading your water heater. If you regularly experience this issue, you may want to consider upgrading to a bigger water heater that can better accommodate your modern-day demands.
Regular Maintenance Service
By far, one of the absolute best ways to help prevent these issues from happening in the first place is to get regular maintenance service from one of our plumbing professionals. It’s typically recommended to get your water heater serviced every six months to a year. This professional service will include things like flushing your hot water heater, testing its electrical connections, tightening piping connections, and testing your overflow valve to make sure that everything is functioning appropriately.
Reliable Water Heater Repair Service
Drain Works Plumbing offers reliable water heater repair service for the Minneapolis, MN, area. Our helpful team can also assist with all your plumbing and water heater installation, replacement, and maintenance needs. Just give us a call today to book your next plumbing service consultation. We also provide tankless water heater installation and repair.
