Solving Water Heater Problems YourselfWater heater problems:The most common water heater problems are: leaking tank, not enough hot water, water that is too hot, water that is not hot enough, strange noises in the tank, discolored water and pilot light problem. Most water heater problems can probably be done by yourself if you have at least some basic knowledge how a water heater works. Handling a leaking tank:
Why is your water heater leaking? What causes such a problem? Water heater leakage is cause for most part due to water hardness, minerals, calcium build up and lime scale inside the tank.
Most water heater build up occur in the bottom of the tank which overtime will rust and crack the metal wall of it. The only thing that protects water heaters from corroding and leaking the metal rod installed inside the tank, this metal is called Anode Rod also known as sacrificial rod. The anode rod is called sacrificial rod because it attracts all the water hardness to itself, however, this metal will eventually be completely eaten by the minerals. Without the anode rod, the tank corrosion and leakage occur really fast and this is one of the biggest water heater problems. See more about anode rod in the above link.
Not enough hot water:One of the most common water heater problems has to do with the demand of hot water in a household. So, ask yourself the following questions: How big and how old is the water heater? How many people live in the house? These three questions will most likely find the right answer for this problem. If the water heater is old, it is evident that, it no longer is performing efficiently, a lot buildups and sediments in the tank, in fact, for every inch of buildup contained inside the tank, it forces the heater to work 50% harder to provide the same amount of hot water than when was new. If the water heater has only 40 gallons but more than six people live in the house and takes long showers, bigger water heater or an additional tank will be required to solve the problem.
Water is too hot:Among all the water heater problems, temperature of water should not be taken lightly. Usually if the water is too hot is because the temperature level is adjusted incorrectly, this can be easily repaired, normally households should have their temperature set to around 110 to 120 degrees. Water temperature can be easily adjusted to higher or lower, people should be able to do that by adjusting the temperature valve on the water heater itself. If after adjusting the temperature, you continue to have extreme hot water, contact a professional to inspect your water heater, it might be malfunctioning and could be a more complicated problem.
Water is not hot enough:If the water is not hot enough, it could be the opposite of the prior problem and the same procedures should be taken in order to repair the problem. It is also possible that the water heater automatically adjusts the water temperature, check your owner manual to make if that is the case.
Strange noise in the tank:Whenever a water heater starts emitting sounds from inside the tank, it is not a good sign. This could well means that the tank has a lot of buildups and sediments in the bottom of it and, the tank can’t keep the water hot for too long. Consequently, the burner frequently turns on to keep the water hot. What is the solution for one these water heater problems? For the most part, if this is happening, the water heater is old enough and it is no longer working efficiently, it is costing the owner a much higher gas bill, so, the best solution is to replace the heater.
Discolored water:
Discolored water usually happens due to the quality of water that you receive from the city, it also has to do with the condition of the water heater and the absence of regular maintenance of it, also, if the home has old water piping, it has to do with the rust, calcium buildups, lime scale among many other contaminants found in the water.
What to do to reduce or fix such a problem? 1 – Perform a water heater flush and drain once a year, this will help not only remove all the debris, calcium buildups, sediments and other contaminants from inside your tank while will help protect the heater tank from corrosion. 2 – Another way to help protect the plumbing of your home is to install a saltless water filtration system in the house. A system that can remove all the harmful contaminants from the water, the will put a stop to the scale buildups and that is capable to reverse the buildups process of chemicals already present in the plumbing.
Pilot Light Problem:
If the pilot light doesn’t stay lit, the problem might be related to the thermocouple or the gas control valve. The thermocouple is the most like part that is gone bad and, it is also the cheaper option to try to replace first. The part usually cost anywhere between $8 and $15 and can be replaced it in just minutes. If the problem is the water heater control valve, then, the repair can be costly, just the part can cost anywhere from $90 to $150 and to replace a control valve can be a bit tricky, you must feel sure that you do that yourself, otherwise, it highly recommended to hire a licensed plumber to do that. The cost to contract a license plumber will be around $185.00 per hour for labor alone plus parts, so, depending of the age of the water heater, it can more smarter to replace the whole unit. This article was written for informational purpose only, those who attempt to fix any drain or plumbing problem on their own, they do it at their own discretion and, this site and the owner is no manner liable for your own decisions. Do not attempt to do anything for yourself, remember that water heater problems and any other plumbing problems should be done by professional, however, if you decided to repair them yourself, you should first, contact and consult a professional for a second opinion or to obtain more information about your specific project.
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