Most homeowners will experience a water heater repair at some point in their lives. While repairs can be costly, they are often necessary to keep your home’s hot water system running properly. In order to help you better understand the causes of water heater repairs in Mesquite, TX, this blog post will outline 10 of the most common ones. Keep reading for more information!
1. No hot water
If you find yourself waiting forever to get hot water to your shower or sink, there are a few possible causes. First check out your hot water heater. Is the power indicator on? If not, check your breaker box and flip a switch that’s been turned off or is tripped.
2. Leaking water
Your water heater may be leaking from any of its openings, including the drain valve opening at the bottom of most models. While there are some exceptions, the T&P (temperature and pressure) relief valve is usually the source of a leak.
3. Water too hot
Is your water heater giving you scalding hot water? First check for an obstruction to the flow of cold water into the tank, such as sediment buildup or debris. If there isn’t one, turn your thermostat down to resolve this issue.
4. Extremely high gas bills
If your gas bills are soaring but nothing has changed in terms of your gas usage, it could be because the temperature setting on your water heater is incorrect and needs adjusting. Another potential cause is that it’s time to replace your filter; note that you’ll need to remove the access panel before doing so.
5. Temperature and pressure relief valve opens
If this happens, you either have sediment buildup in your system or the temperature setting is too high. The former can be resolved by running water through the tank to clean it out; lower the temperature setting if that doesn’t work.
6. The water smells like rotten eggs
This means that bacteria have grown inside your water heater and need to be cleaned out as soon as possible for safety purposes. In some cases, replacing a corroded anode rod may do the trick as well as removing sediment from an air gap on top of the tank.
7. Weak stream from faucets
In some cases, limescale can accumulate at a rate that slows down the flow of hot water from your faucets. Running a mixture of vinegar and water through the tank can help dissolve limescale, as can using any of a number of commercial solutions.
8. Water pressure is low
This may be due to corrosion in your water lines or a buildup of sediment somewhere in your system that has made it difficult for pressurized hot water to reach your home gradually over time. If you’ve been alerted by your municipality that there could be an issue with corrosion, add 3/4 cups of bleach per 50 gallons to raise the pH level and promote greater alkalinity. In some cases, you’ll need to hire a plumber to flush out any corroded pipes or remove sediment buildup before these start happening again.
9. Smoking faucets
This means that your water heater is too close to combustible material. While this issue may not necessarily result in an explosion, it can cause serious fire damage to your home’s décor. To resolve the problem, reposition the gas appliance or relocate other items that are too close to it.
10. Leaky valves or fittings
If you find evidence of leaking at any of these locations on your water tank, replace the old parts with new ones immediately for safety purposes. If the leak is small enough, cover it with Teflon tape until you have time to make a replacement purchase and complete the job properly.
Tankless water heater maintenance
If you have a tankless water heater, the best way to maintain it is by inspecting your whole home’s plumbing system regularly for leaks or damage. If you do find a problem with the system as a whole, don’t put off calling a plumber for complete tankless water heater maintenance in Garland, TX because it will only get worse and more expensive to fix later.
Also, keep an eye out for sediment buildup in your tankless water heater from hard water and reduce or eliminate calcium from entering this heater as well. Prevention is key when it comes to maintaining your equipment properly unless otherwise advised by a professional company that specializes in diagnostics and repairs of these appliances. Regular checkups are important too. For more information, get in touch with James Armstrong Plumbing at (214) 624-7186.
