There is hardly any home where you will not find a water heater. It is a device that is crucial to daily activities around the house such as bathing, washing, cleaning, laundry, and so on. It is perhaps the most used appliance in the home when it comes to plumbing.
It is useful at every time of the year but much more so in winter when the weather is very cold. At this time, it is always working to see that you and your family are comfortable. You can learn all about them here.
To this end, ensuring it is always in good working condition is important if you do not want to get caught out cold. This means that it needs regular maintenance and when there is an issue, it should be attended to and repaired immediately. Your heater can develop a range of problems which we will consider below. A lot of these issues may be due to old age or lack of proper maintenance.
Typically, most heaters can last up to between 8 -12 years after which they may be due for replacement. That said, with good maintenance they may be able to last longer.
Common Issues Your Heater can have
Below are some of the more common issues that heaters will usually have:
Lack of Hot Water
This is a common problem and can be due to a number of factors. The first thing to check is if it is powered up. If it is, then it may be a problem with the heating element or thermostat. You may need to check the circuit breaker and reset it.
If you use a gas-powered heater, ensure that the pilot light is on. It is not unusual for the pilot light to go off. If it is not, you should simply just relight it. You should also make certain that the gas supply is turned on.
When you have done all these and the problem persists even when it’s clear that power is supplied to the unit, the thermostat might just be faulty. It could also be a problem with the heating element, if it is an electric heater or the thermocouple for the gas option.
You can more about this problem here: https://www.thespruce.com/water-heater-not-enough-hot-water-4103883.
Hot Water is Inadequate.
A water heater’s promise is that whenever you need it, it should deliver. Sometimes, when you need it for prolonged time especially during winter, the hot water might cease after a while. This could also be a result of a faulty thermostat, heating element, or flame sensor.
You may need to get an appliance with a higher capacity if the reason you are short of hot water is due to high usage. For use in winter, there is a need to make the temperature higher than normal to make up for the fact that it takes longer to heat during this season. You may also want to clean the tank to rid it of sediments. For a case of too much hot water, you can lower the temperature of the thermostat to a suitable one; preferably between 100 to 110 degrees.
Colored or Smelly Water
If your water is discolored, it may be due to rust in the tank or the pipes that convey it to your taps. A filtration system or softener can help to resolve this. You may also need to get the tank cleaned. If you notice a green color, it may be indicative of copper pipe corrosion and the best solution for this is to replace the pipes.
A smell can be caused by the presence of bacteria in the tank. The tank can get bacteria infested if the heater is not used for a while or if there is a corroded anode rod. These can be resolved by cleaning the tank and changing the anode rod.
Two other common issues that might affect your heater are leakages or noise coming from it. Old age, a loose drain, or overheating are regular causes of these. At this point, if your device is older than 12 years, it might be time to replace the unit. If it is noise due to overheating, the tank may need to be flushed and any sediments removed.
Whatever the reason your appliance has an issue or whatever issue it might be, the good news for residents of Spartanburg County in South Carolina is you can get water heater repair in Spartanburg SC as long as the appliance is not past its lifetime.
Conclusion
You do not need to panic if you notice your heater has an issue. You can take steps to troubleshoot what the problem is by first turning off power to the unit then shutting off the water source. See if it is something as simple as powering it on or increasing the temperature.
If it is more than you can handle, water heater repair experts are just a call away.
