5 commons water heater problems

Film it, it's a Monday morning, and you've just pulled yourselves out of your warm bed to brainstorm your week.

You lot turn on the shower, walk away to let it rut up but to come back, jump in, and get the daze of the 24-hour interval—freezing cold water.

The water heater is non working, and you don't know what to exercise.

First, do not panic.

While it's not an platonic way to offset the day, it is quite mutual for a water heater to end working.

The ideal matter to do is to phone call a local Calgary plumber so you can continue with your day.

Information technology can as well be helpful to know what to await for in order to give the plumbers a detailed explanation of the trouble—or meliorate notwithstanding, maybe fix information technology yourselves.

When calling a plumber to talk over your hot h2o tank issues, it is best to know the age of your tank, size of the tank and type of the vent.

v Mutual Hot H2o Heater Bug

A hot water heater not working tin can be the issue of any number of things.

Knowing how to address the effect, or at the very to the lowest degree how to describe the problem to a licensed plumber is essential.

In a best-case scenario, a water heater not working can merely be the result of the pilot light going out.

If that is the case, only relighting it could solve the event.

If that doesn't piece of work, then we'll demand to do a petty more digging.

i. Water Temperature Issues

One of the nigh common complaints of water heaters not working is the fact that we feel water temperature issues.

This can be either water not heating up enough or the water existence fashion too hot.

In about cases, simply go to the water tank and adjust the thermostat on the tank. It may take been bumped by accident and caused the temperature to change.

Turning downwardly the water tank's temperature is also a mutual practice to save free energy during the summer months. Increment the thermostat temperature during the wintertime months volition ready your temperature upshot.

If the water does non heat upward when y'all plough up the temperature, you might be experiencing a faulty thermostat. The solution is to supercede the thermostat.

Other common issues nosotros've found when it comes to water temperature fluctuations include:

  • A leak in the h2o tank
  • The gas control or burner assembly might be damaged.
  • Mineral deposits reducing the heater's efficiency
  • A trouble with the temperature-pressure relief valve.

In most cases, such every bit the temperature-pressure relief valve, the pieces can be replaced.

However, if the tank has a leak in it, it is time to telephone call in a professional to replace the unit.

Without proper tools and noesis, attempting to fix these issues yourself could lead to personal injuries, farther impairment to the devices and fifty-fifty harm to your abode.

More importantly, information technology can even upshot in natural gas leaking into the firm, posing an extreme danger to you and your family.

ii. Discoloured/Smelly Water

Another common trouble that nosotros face with h2o heaters is evil-smelling or discoloured water.

To diagnose properly, you lot need to ask the following questions:

  • Has this been happening for a while?
  • Do all the faucets in the house produce this water?
  • Have y'all used the water lately?
  • Does the trouble go abroad after you've run the water for a while?
  • Does it happen to both hot and common cold faucet?

By answering these questions, you lot will be able to accost the root of the trouble easier.

Discoloration

If the effect is h2o discoloration, then the problem is well-nigh likely beingness acquired by high mineral levels such as iron and copper, causing the pipes to rust.

Water in Calgary is considered 'hard' as information technology contains high concentrations of magnesium and calcium – coming from the Rockies.

A mutual solution to this is to install a water softener arrangement in your house.

While this is not dangerous to your overall wellness, it can pb to problems with the plumbing system that can impact the performance of appliances.

Scale builds upwards in the system: deposits of 'lime' that can block the menstruation of water in pipes (every bit well as in shower heads and taps) and play havoc with the h2o heater, washing automobile, and dishwasher.

These bug are easily solved by installing a whole house water filter or even a h2o softener.

Strong Water Odors

There are various reasons as to what may be causing the strong water odours coming from the faucet.

If you believe it'southward the hot water tank, you tin test this by running the hot water for a few minutes.

If the water smells like rotten eggs or sewage-like scents, this tin can be a sign of bacteria growing within the h2o tank.

When this happens, your first course of action would be to flush the h2o tank thoroughly.

If that doesn't solve it, the anode rod might accept been corroded and needs to exist replaced.

Some other typical smell is garlic, which simply ways the pilot lite needs to relight.

Finally, if the smell is exceptionally strong, it could exist an issue with the gas line.

When this happens, yous demand to turn off the unit, ventilate the area before vacating, and call both a plumber and the gas utility company.

three. Water Heater Making Noises

A noisy water heater doesn't ordinarily alarm many individuals; however, it can be abrasive.

There could be several things that cause a water heater to be noisy.

Equally with the discolouring of the water, excessive buildup of minerals and sediment could be causing the noise that nosotros hear.

To avoid this from happening in the kickoff identify, you lot should affluent your h2o heater out oftentimes, typically one time a year.

The buildup can happen due to the sediment being burned by the heating element or your heating element itself needs to be replaced.

As it begins to deteriorate, it tin slowly burn out and cause noises from within the unit.

If it's a boiling sound that you are hearing, this is the sound of the unit of measurement overheating, causing unsafe force per unit area buildup.

In this case, call a professional immediately.

iv. Leaking Water Heater

If you've noticed a drop in the water temperature, there might be a leak in your water heater.

In order to repair the leak, it is of import to determine the origin and the cause of the leak.

Some of the main causes include:

  • Historic period
  • Bad plumbing installation
  • Poor maintenance
  • Loose bleed valve
  • The force per unit area to the tank

A leak can be very apparent as water pools near the unit and can also be dripping from the unit or pipes leading to it.

In the case of loose valves, these are easily replaced on your own or tightened if it'due south loose.

If it's a corroded water tank, then you'll need to have it replaced.

5. Damaged Gas Control or Burner Associates

Another mutual diagnostic for an unfunctional water heater is a damaged gas control or burner.

A water heater cannot work properly if the burner is dirty or non-functional, hence causing the water to not heat up.

The solution is to replace the damaged gas command or burner assembly – besides known as a thermocouple.

If you try relighting the pilot lite and none of the other issues to a higher place seem to utilise to the situation, then it may be as simple as replacing the thermocouple.

To supersede the thermocouple yourself, you first need to turn off the gas and the water to ensure that you won't cause any further harm.

If yous have any doubt, call a professional to do the job right.

Need a New Hot Water Tank? Call Pete the Plumber

Sometimes at that place is no easy gear up and a hot water tank issues are just the result of needing a new unit entirely.

Installing a new water tank is no easy feat, so having a professional available to exercise the install is imperative.

We offer 24/vii emergency service and a 2-year warranty on parts and labour.

Give Pete the Plumber a call at 403-257-1766 or head online to request an engagement today!