Unlike heating and air conditioning systems, there’s no “season” for water heaters. The average water heater does more work during winter, but it still operates almost every day of the year to meet a household’s needs.
This means that your water heater could start to experience trouble at any time. Regular maintenance can help to prevent this, but there’s no way to make any water heater 100% malfunction-free. We have some tips on how to spot early on that your water heater is having problems. That way you can schedule timely repair services with our team.
ONE: You can see water leaking
The only place water should be escaping from a water heater is through the pressure relief valve. Otherwise, any sign of leaking water is reason to call for repairs right away. It’s possible you have condensation on the outside of the water heater, which may not necessarily mean trouble—but you want to make absolutely sure you’re not dealing with leaks.
TWO: Popping or rumbling sounds from the tank
You may find these sounds alarming—as if the water heater tank is about to burst—but the danger is probably not that extreme. This is, however, an indication of a problem in the tank. You may have hard water affecting the water heater or sediment is building up along the bottom of the tank. The trouble could also be hot and cold water mixing at the top of the tank.
THREE: Visible signs of corrosion
A water heater is built with defenses against corrosion. When corrosion starts, it sometimes signals the water heater is too old and needs to be replaced. In other cases, corroded parts (such as the heat exchanger) can be replaced rather than retiring the entire system. Have professionals on the job as soon as possible to find out what needs to be done.
FOUR: Loss of hot water volume
If your household isn’t getting its standard amount of hot water and people are starting to go with lukewarm morning showers, the water heater is losing power. This could be due to problems with the gas burners, the circulator pump, sediment build-up, or a host of other problems that need a professional to diagnose and repair them.
FIVE: The Water isn’t hot enough
If you find that the water from the hot water taps isn’t warming up to the levels you like it, check on the aquastat of the water heater. Don’t turn the aquastat up higher than 140°F, since this presents a potential scalding hazard. If you can’t tell why the water is turning colder, have a professional check it out.
SIX: Rusty colored water
If you see rust coloration in the water and it’s only coming from the hot water taps, you may have a water heater rusting out from the inside—in which case, you’ll need to schedule a water heater replacement as soon as possible.
Never hesitate to call for our water heater professionals when you think you have a water heater that’s running into trouble. You can depend on us for water heater repair in Fresno, CA and throughout the Central Valley.
Purl’s Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning: Quality Is the Cornerstone of Our Success Since 1952.