9 Signs You’re Having Trouble with Your Water Heater | Insight from Your Trusted Mesa, AZ Plumbing Service
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Your home’s water heater is more important than you think. In fact, it’s one of the most underappreciated appliances in the house, providing you with hot water throughout the day, unduly taken for granted. It’s not until it stops working that most of us check for any problems with the water heater, including with a plumbing service.
Water heaters pack up for a number of reasons, which sometimes can be easily solved but as with all mechanical systems, water heaters also need maintenance. In fact, professional installation and maintenance can make all the difference to the continual running of your water heater, which is why calling professionals like Schroeder Plumbing, a professional plumbing service you can find in Mesa, AZ, is a good idea.
If you’ve not experienced any of the signs that indicate your water heater is not working as it should be, here are nine probable problems you’re likely to have with your water heater and some of their likely causes.
1. The Water Isn’t Hot Enough
A water heater has one job really, which is to heat your water. If it’s not doing that it’s a problem. The lack of heat could be down to a number of issues that can be solved by adjusting the thermostat or replacing a faulty valve or thermocouple that has caused the pilot light to go out. It may also be that the circuit breaker has tripped or the heating elements need replacing. Call a plumbing service to be sure you’re replacing the right parts in your unit.
2. The Water Is Discolored
The water may be the temperature it’s supposed to be but you might notice that the running water is actually looking a little rusty. This could be caused by sediment in your water heater or a corroded anode rod. Either way the unit would need flushing out, draining and refilling. If your water heater has not been inspected for a while, call a plumbing service to give you a professional opinion.
3. The Heater’s a Little Noisy
A water heater shouldn’t be emitting anything more than a low hum, sound wise, so a booming or rumbling noise could be the result of a delayed ignition in the former case or a “kettling” effect in the latter. Kettling happens when there is sediment settling at the bottom of your water tank and the water gets too hot, to the point of boiling, which can burn the sediment. In this case you should call a plumbing service to drain the tank or else replace a faulty heating element, which can also cause the noise.
4. The Water Is Starting to Smell
If an odor akin to the smell of rotting eggs is emanating from your water heater then the water has probably become infected with bacteria and needs to be flushed with hydrogen peroxide. If this becomes a persistent problem it should be deferred to a professional plumbing service.
5. Your Water Tank Is Leaking
A leaking water heater is something you don’t want to dismiss unless you’re happy with around 30 gallons of water being emptied onto your floor. If the leak is at the top of your water heater it could be the result of a loose cold inlet, hot outlet pipe or a leaking valve. If the leak is at the bottom, it may be that the T&P valve has opened to release excess pressure in the tank. If it’s the actual tank that is leaking, however, there is little more you can do than actually replace your water heater.
6. There Is Not Enough Hot Water
When there isn’t enough hot water it’s usually a simple problem that is to do with the thermostat and as such just needs adjusting. During winter, remember that you need to raise the thermostat, even in Mesa, AZ. If the thermostat is not working or there is a faulty element or an undersized water heater tank may also explain why there isn’t enough hot water.
7. The Water Is Too Hot
If the water is too hot then the thermostat may well be set too high and so therefore, needs adjusting. You may also need to do this as the weather gets warmer. If you cannot get the temperature low enough for your needs then consider consulting a plumbing service as there may be a wiring issue with your thermostat and in some cases, it may need replacing.
8. The Water Is Taking too Long to Reheat
The time it takes to reheat all the water in your tank varies between water heater models, whether it is an electric or gas model and how old or new it is. If you’ve noticed a change in the reheat time, known as the recovery time i.e. with it taking longer to heat the water, then it could be that some of the heating elements need replacing. A plumbing service can help you upgrade to a new model as well.
9. The Hot Water Pressure Is too Low
Low hot water pressure could be the result of that narrower piping you find in older homes. Water pressure is also automatically limited and so a higher water pressure could only be attained by installing new pipes with a wider diameter, which would allow more water to flow through.
That’s something a plumbing service can help you with, in particular Schroeder Plumbing in Mesa, AZ, a company that has been in the business for more than 40 years and gone through every plumbing scenario there is. Four decades of experience puts Schroeder Plumbing ahead of the competition, including the larger firms that lack the personal touch and care taken for each individual job. Dedicated to providing quality work with attention to detail, Schroeder will send out a plumber for all of your plumbing needs at affordable prices.
Call Schroeder Plumbing for an estimate today and advice on how to address your plumbing needs.
