While you may not think about it a lot, your water heater is a very important part of your home. It helps to ensure that your family can enjoy warm water for bathing, cleaning, and anything else. Unfortunately, water heaters aren’t meant to last forever. As a homeowner, it can pay to understand the most common issues that you may end up facing with your water heater so that you can get them fixed quickly.
Water Leak at the Top
One of the most obvious issues that you may experience when you walk by your water heater is that it has a water leak coming from the top of it. Water heaters are set up to have warm water coming from the top and cold water going down into the tank to be heated. A leak at the top of your water heater can be the result of a loose cold inlet pipe, a loose hot output pipe, or a malfunctioning valve. Depending on where the specific leak is coming from, you should be able to narrow down what issue is causing it.
Water Leak at the Bottom
Another common problem you may run into with your water heater is a leak coming out of the bottom of it. This is a common sign that your water heater’s tank could be starting to fail, and you’re going to have to replace the entire water heater. In the event that you have an electric water heater, this problem could be due to normal condensation, water being expelled through the overflow pipe, or a leaking electric heating element gasket.
No Hot Water
One of the most annoying problems that you can face with your water heater is its total failure to produce hot water. The first thing you want to do in this scenario is go over to your electrical panel and see if the circuit breaker for your water heater was tripped. If so, turn it off and back on again. You’re going to have to give it some time for the element to start heating your water.
If the circuit breaker wasn’t tripped, then you need to further evaluate your water heater. If you have an electric water heater, it’s likely that the heating element is malfunctioning. If you have a gas water heater, it’s likely that the pilot light has been blown out, or you have a defective thermocouple. In both scenarios, it’s best to call in a plumbing professional to evaluate the problem and fix it quickly.
Noisy Operation
If you’re starting to notice that your water heater is making noises that it never did before, it should be a cause for concern. The most likely reason for this issue is sediment buildup. When there’s too much sediment inside your tank, it will make popping and knocking noises. To remedy this situation, you’ll want to ensure that you completely flush your hot water tank every few months to remove excess sediment.
Foul-Smelling Water
One water heater issue that you likely don’t want to ever deal with is foul-smelling water. When you first notice this problem, it’s essential to turn off the hot water and test to see if the cold water has the same smell. If it does not, then it can be confirmed the smell is coming from your water heater. The smell can be caused by mineral buildup, rust, and bacterial growth inside your hot water tank. It’s best to flush your tank out until the water inside of it is completely clear.
Overly Hot Water
While it’s nice to have hot water freely available in your home, it can be extremely annoying to have water that is way too hot to use. If you’ve recently had a water heater installed or your current one has been serviced, you’ll likely have the thermostat on too high a setting. Fortunately, this problem can be easily fixed by exposing the thermostat and turning it down.
You should be able to locate an access panel at the top of your water heater. When you remove that panel and the insulation inlay, you’ll be able to see a thermostat. Go ahead and turn the temperature down to a lower setting.
Quality Water Heater Services
Air Tech of Central Florida provides quality water heater services for the entire Longwood, FL region. We’re also here for all of your heating, cooling, plumbing, indoor air quality, and ductless mini-split needs, whether the assignment is residential or commercial. Call us today to get the professional assistance you require.
Author Bio:
Luigi Ferraro
Specializing in residential and commercial HVAC services, Air Tech offers a wide range of solutions to meet the heating and cooling needs of their customers. Their team of skilled technicians is trained to handle the installation, repair, and maintenance of HVAC systems with expertise and precision.
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