Cold showers, unsterilized dishes, dirty clothes….issues stemming from water heater problems can be more of a pain than you realize regardless if it is an electric or gas-fired version. There are some hot water tank issues that you can fix yourself but others may require calling in a repairman. Before attempting to perform any maintenance to correct a water tank issue, be sure to turn off all power sources because a shock from an electric appliance can be fatal! If you smell any strange gas odors from your gas-fired heater, you may have a serious condition. Protect from any flames or sparks if you smell gas. If this is the case, be sure to ventilate the area to rid it of fumes and turn off the gas supply valve immediately and call your gas utility company.
Some water heater problems are often the result of a build up of hard water residue that can leave sediment in the bottom of your hot water tank. The sediment prevents the efficient heating of the water. A water softener will keep the sediment build-up to a minimum and keep it working efficiently.
Sometimes there may not be enough water in the tank or not even enough hot water. You may need to adjust the thermostat or need to even replace it. If your HW tank dispenses water that is too hot, reset the thermostat on it, adjust it or you may even need to replace it. If your hot water tank is leaky, check the pressure relief valve. If it is leaking it is usually time to replace it. Sometimes if some sediment gets lodged on the valve seat, it can be cleared by momentarily operating the valve. Keep in mind that if the water is hot, you want to be careful where it sprays. Contain it in a bucket or, the like. If your hot water unit is noisy or the water is dirty, drain and flush the tank.
If you have a gas-fired HW heater and you don’t have any tempered water, check to make sure the pilot light is lit. That problem is cured as easily as just re-lighting it. If it won’t stay lit, however, there may be issues with the thermocouple. If you don’t have enough hot water, you may need to check your temperature settings or consider buying a larger water tank to suit your family’s needs. Again, if your unit is noisy or dirty, you still need to drain it, flush the tank and refill it just like you did to your electric one. However, if the unit has degraded and has a rusty tank, whether it is gas or electric- guess what – it’s time to replace it entirely.
If you are not sure how to deal with your water heater problem or, if any of your own trouble shooting methods have not been effective, you will probably need to call in a professional plumber or someone who specializes in water heaters. It is kind of upsetting to have to dump a load of money literally down the drain but to ensure that you have the most effective methods to get your HW heater up and running more quickly, it is best to call in the service tech to keep you from having to take cold showers any longer than you have to.
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