Troubleshooting a Water Heater Failure: How to Do When It Stops Working
Troubleshooting a Water Heater Failure: How to Do When It Stops Working
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Nearly everybody seems to have their personal way of thinking when it comes to Hot Water Heater Repair.
Several modern-day homes use an electrical water heater for their heating unit, as a result of its convenience and also ease of use. Nevertheless, similar to any other electric appliances, troubles might develop with its usage, suddenly. It can be actually frustrating to awaken to a cold shower as opposed to a hot one or having your bathroom with water that isn't warm adequate or perhaps also warm. Whatever the instance might be, water heater troubles can be quite aggravating. Luckily, we've made a checklist of possible services to your hot water heater issues. There are a variety of aspects that might trigger much of these problems, maybe a problem with the power supply, the electrical heating element, or the thermostat. Prior to doing anything, ensure you turn off the main power supply for safety. Whatever the trouble is, getting it dealt with need to not present excessive of an issue if you adhere to these steps:
Examine Your Power Supply:
As basic as this might appear, it is very essential. Without adequate power, your water heater will not work. So the first thing to do when your water suddenly retires is to verify that it isn't a power trouble. Examine if the fuse is blown out or the breaker tripped. If the breaker is the issue, just transform it off and on again. Replace any broken or worn-out fuse. Examine the device with power after these adjustments to see if it's currently functioning.
Inspect the Burner in the Hot Water Heater:
If it's not a power issue, then attempt having a look at your burner if it is still functioning. Test each of your heating elements to make sure the trouble isn't with any of them. If any one of them is damaged, replace that component and then examine whether the hot water is back on.
Examine Your Thermostat:
If your hot water heater still isn't functioning or the water appearing isn't warm sufficient, you may need to inspect the temperature setups on your top thermostat. Make sure the breaker is switched off before doing anything. Open up the accessibility panel and also press the red switch for temperature level reset above the thermostat. This must help heat up the water. Transform the circuit breaker back on as well as check if the problem has actually been settled.
Call An Expert:
If after changing all defective parts and resetting your temperature, the hot water heater still isn't functioning, you may require to call a specialist plumber for an expert point of view. The issue with your heating system could be that the hot and cold faucets have been switched over or it may be undersized for the quantity of warm water needed in your house. Whatever the case might be, an expert plumber would certainly assist address the trouble.
Verdict
Hot water heater problems are not constantly major. Much of them are due to small concerns like a blown fuse or worn-out heating element. Replacing the malfunctioning parts should work. However, if you are still incapable to solve the issue, give a call to your local plumber ahead to get it fixed.
Common Reasons Why Your Hot Water Heater Isn’t Working
Water Gets Too Hot
Ouch! You wanted a hot shower, not boiling! If you have a newer model electric water heater, your water heater works with a thermostat (actually, two thermostats). If this thermostat has been jostled — or purposely reset — by someone in your home, the water flow will be much hotter than you expected.
FIX: Adjust the thermostat to a more moderate setting for producing hot water. Forty-nine degrees Celsius is recommended to prevent scalding.
Water Doesn’t Get Hot
This is the opposite of the previous problem, but it’s almost as bad. Your flow of hot water is merely lukewarm or even incoming cold water. Once again, an incorrect thermostat setting, or a faulty thermocouple in a gas water heater, could be to blame. Another explanation might be that there’s no power to the water heater (in the case of an electric heater) or the pilot light has gone out (if you have a gas unit).
FIX: Adjust your thermostat as necessary. If that doesn’t do the trick, check the power supply. Another possibility is the replacement of a damaged thermocouple in gas water heaters.
Leaking Water Heater
A leaking water heater (a sign may be low hot water pressure, or not enough hot water to shower) might be a reason to push the panic button… but first, take a few minutes to check where the leakage is coming from. Leaks near the top of the heater tend to indicate a problem with a valve, which won’t need a major repair. However, a leak from the water heater base is more serious.
FIX: You may need a qualified plumber to replace your drain valve or TPR (temperature pressure relief) valve. When your water heater is leaking from below, your plumber might be able to fix it if you call them soon enough. Otherwise, you will need to have a new water heater installed.
Noisy Water Heater
Sometimes your water heater might make some peculiar noises, loud enough to compete with your singing in the shower. Are these a cause for alarm? It depends on exactly what kind of sounds you are hearing. Sizzles and rumbles are both red flags, indicating a heavy sediment buildup in your hot water tank that might cause a breakdown in the near future. In addition, banging is a sign of a water hammer, which can lead to serious damage to your pipes.
FIX: To stop sizzling or rumbling, turn off the tank and have it flushed by a reliable plumbing company ASAP. Ask your plumber to install a water hammer arrestor to quiet down the banging and save the pipes.
Pilot Light Keeps Going Out
Many pilot lights go out once in a while, but when your water heater pilot light keeps going out continually, it’s a problem. And the chances are good that that problem stems from either a shortage of combustible air or a malfunctioning thermocouple.
FIX: Increase the air supply around your water heater by cleaning dust and lint off the appliance and clearing any clutter from the area around it. A bad thermocouple will require expert plumbing repair and is more than basic gas water heater troubleshooting.
Water Smells Bad
The water from your residential plumbing pipes should smell neutral. If it has a strong unpleasant odour, something’s wrong. To check whether your water heater is at fault, turn on a hot water faucet and let it run for a few minutes. And, yes, use your nose to determine exactly what you are smelling.
FIX: For a garlicky odour, relight the pilot light on your water tank. When you detect the scent of garbage, you’ll need a professional plumber to flush the hot water tank and possibly replace the anode rod. A strong smell of rotten eggs could signal a hazardous gas leak; turn off the gas supply if possible, get everyone out of your house, and make an emergency call to the gas company.
Water Looks Brown Or Rusted
The first thing to do is ask yourself, “Is the brown, rusty-looking water coming only from my hot water taps?” If the answer is yes, then most likely, either the anode rod or the water heater interior is starting to rust, especially if your hot water heater is nearing the end of its life expectancy. (A “no” answer means the issue does not originate from the hot water heater but rather from the water supply.)
FIX: Contact a plumber to inspect the water heater. If you catch the problem quickly enough, it might be fixable. Otherwise, you’ll need a water heater replacement. Consider installation of an efficient new tankless water heater.
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