Of all the modern conveniences that human beings have come to enjoy, hot water is perhaps the one we most often take for granted. While all faucets and shower heads take a while to heat up, they always get to a point where the warm, steamy water finds its way to the surface, and that’s when we enjoy a hot shower or steam away the grime on a load of dishes.
Because we are so used to hot water working flawlessly, it is painfully apparent when something goes wrong with the water heater. Cold showers are not relaxing. Washing one’s hands in cold water is unpleasant. Laundry machines and dishwashers can’t do their jobs the way they’re supposed to without piping hot H2O.
There are a handful of common problems with water heaters that we see here at GPS Plumbing, each of which can be a headache, but all of which are repairable.
If water is leaking from the top of the water heater, it could be a loose pipe or a failed valve, but the good news is that either is easily fixed. Water leaking from the bottom might not be an emergency, as it could just be normal condensation. However, it also could be a leaking gasket or valve, which a professional may need to repair.
Electric heaters take varying times to reheat, but all types of water heaters may take longer to heat up during the winter because the water coming in through the pipes is colder. That may just be something you have to live with during colder months.
One of the most common problems is a lack of hot water or not enough hot water. No hot water often is just a tripped breaker in electric heaters, but if that’s not it there could be a number of different heating elements that may need replacing. If you don’t have enough hot water, check your heater’s thermostat or consider a larger water heater installation or different type of tank.
Popping, hissing, banging, or knocking noises are most often due to scale buildup or sediment at the bottom of a tank. Doing routine maintenance on the unit will help prevent this from happening, and our professionals here at GPS Plumbing can help with that.
Unfortunately, the most common underlying problem with low water pressure is old pipes that are too small and have filled with sediment and/or rust. The only real solution is installing modern piping that allows better water flow, so if that’s something you’d like to consider, we are happy to help.
If you come into contact with any of these common water heater problems, give us a call here at GPS Plumbing any time and we will get a professional out to your home as soon as possible to clear up the problem and handle your water heater repair. We know how important hot water is, so we’ll do all we can to get yours back up and running should something ever keep that from happening.
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