The water heater or tank that is creating the hot water in your house can easily malfunction for a number of reasons and in this website; you’ll find some very helpful hot water heater repair tips. Even though water heaters are normally sturdy, they can also break down once in a while, and sometimes during moments when you least expect it and moments when you really need to take a hot bath. Luckily, fixing a water heater isn’t that hard. In this article, we’ve provided the many reasons that can cause the breakage of a water heater, its effects as well as a guide on how to repair a hot water heater.
Signs of a Broken Water Heater
A water heater with a defect can cause more than just the absence or insufficiency of hot water. A defective, or close to defective water heater could also
- cause the water color to turn brown or rusty because of the rust found inside the tank, or
- emit a rotten egg stink from the water, or
- Cause rumbling and unpleasant noise when turned on.
Common Hot Water Heater Repair Procedures
Before going through the hot water heater repair procedures, you must first understand what causes the malfunction of your water heater. You’ll have to inspect your water heater thoroughly so that the exact cause can be determined.
And a precaution before we begin – always remember that a water heater is a home appliance that uses 240 volts. If you are not careful enough, the your negligence could prove to be fatal, which is why it is always important to make sure that the power in the panel service is turned off before you begin your work with the water heater.
A Leak Inside the Water Heater
To see if your water heater has a leak, check the pressure in the pressure relief valve. If a leak is indeed present in the water heater, simply tauten the bolts of the water heater that can be found on the heating element gasket. In some cases, the gasket will need to be replaced. Hot water heater repair parts can be easily bought from any hardware store near you. You might be able to find some water heater parts sellers online too.
Residue and Debris that Formed at the Bottom of the Tank
This debris is usually the source of that unpleasant noise when you turn on your water heater. They originate from minerals that are present in the water itself that sink to the bottom of your heater tank after being heated up and clump together over time. This formation behaves as an insulator between the water and the heat source (assuming you’re using gas heater). This causes more heat (energy) to be used in order to bring the water to the temperature you desire (higher operational cost) and overheating the tank bottom (lowering your tank’s useful life). To remove this debris, do the following two steps:
- Drain the tank.
- If the previous step doesn’t completely flush out all the debris, make use of acidic tub and tile cleaner to dissolve the clump debris, and then drain the tank again.
Take note that you might need to repeat the process a few times to completely remove all debris from your hot water heater. Yes, this requires a LOT of work. In order to avoid this troublesome task, it’s recommended that you maintain your water heater routinely.
Thermostat and Water Temperature
If your water heater is producing water that is too hot or not hot enough, you will simply need to adjust the settings on the thermostat. If after adjusting the thermostat and the water temperature problem still persists, this means that the thermostat isn’t working properly. In that case, there’s nothing else that you can do besides replacing it. The heating element must also be checked, and if after the checking you’ve found out that it is broken, this must be replaced as well.
Dealing with Water Odor
Sometimes the water that came out from your water heater might smell like rotten eggs, hydrogen sulfide, or even rusty. This is due to the development of bacteria inside your water tank 99% of time. The hot water heater repair Brampton procedure that is applicable in this scenario is to make use of a solution called hydrogen peroxide. This solution works to kill off bacteria that are present in your water tank. Drop a few pints into your water tank, and the strange odor would be gone.
Some people will advise you to remove the anode rod from your water tank. Please don’t. This is because the anode rod is responsible to prevent rust in your water tank by dissolving itself over time. If you remove the anode rod, your water tank will rust at godlike speed. And if your water tank is rusty, the only option left for you is to replace the entire water heater, which is costly.
Wrapping Things Up…
After reading these hot water heater repair tips, you’re probably thinking that fixing a water heater is actually very easy. Technically speaking, in most cases it is indeed very easy and it can also be very safe if you follow the necessary guidelines and preparations before you tinker with the water heater tank. However, in some cases the water heater defect is too complicated and cannot be fixed by someone who doesn’t have the necessary technical background or experience.
In cases like these, a professional must be called in to fix the water heater. A hot water heater repair service is available in all parts of the country. If you are looking for a company that specializes on fixing water heater tank in Brampton, ON. You can also search for the most highly recommended repair company on the Internet. If your case is minor and can be easily fixed, we provided sufficient hot water heater repair information to help you.
