How To Fix Common Water Heater Problems

While many people know how to repair or fix their own gas water heaters, many don’t realize how important it is to have someone who knows how to do it properly repair it for you. Although you may think that you know what you are doing, you never know when something could go wrong with your heater. It is important to find a professional water heater installer who will be honest with you about the problems and how they will be fixed. Here are some tips on how to repair and fix the most common water heater issues.

The Most Common Water Heater Problems

• Pilot Light

One of the most common water heater problems is the pilot light going out. If the pilot light goes out, this also means that the water heater is off. When this happens, you have to decide if you need to operate the water heater manually or turn it off. Sometimes, just by turning it off, the heater will return to working correctly. If not, you need to call a professional.

• Temperature Gauge

Another way to determine if your water heater is not working properly is to monitor the temperature gauge. If it displays a high temperature, then you know that you have a water heater issue. Check the pressure as well so you know if the problem is with the delivery system or if the pressure is high because of other reasons. This is one of the simplest issues to check and once you have narrowed down the problem, you can try fixing it yourself.

• Drain Valves

Sometimes, you might have a cold water heater issue, especially if you are using electricity to heat the water. This could be due to clogged drain valves. This is a common reason why your hot water is not as hot as it should be. However, a simple run-through with some chemicals will usually solve the problem. The first thing you will want to do is to open all the valves to make sure that there are no clogs. If there are clogs in the drain valves, you will then have to try to run some additional plumbing.

• High Pressure

Sometimes, your water heater will experience an issue when the pressure is too high. In this case, you will have to turn on a pump to bring the pressure down. This problem usually occurs if you are using tap water and trying to use hot water from a tank. Sometimes, you will find that the water from the tank will not rise to the proper pressure and this will result in low pressure.

• Dirty Tank

Another possibility for why your water heater is not working properly is because the tank is too dirty. If the tank is too full, it can actually cause the entire system to break down. There are some things that you can do, though, to help clean the tank and keep it clean. One option is to take the tank outside and beat it with a hammer to remove any excess dirt.

If you find that the tank is clogged, the pipes under it may need to be cleaned. This is also an option that you may want to consider. If your water heater uses a copper tank, you will find that the copper will become tarnished over time. You can clean the pipes with various chemical solutions. For the sake of safety, you should not use strong cleaners that contain acids as they can corrode and damage the tank.

Conclusion

There are many different options when it comes to learning how to fix the most common water heater problems in your home. The most important thing is that you take the time to think about what might be going wrong with your system. That way, you will be able to address any issues before they turn into problems that are much more costly to repair.
In case you cannot fix the problem yourself, CityLocal 101 can always help you to find a professional in your area.