The Most Common Water Heater Repairs

The average homeowner relies on their water heater to complete many tasks throughout their normal day. When you first awake in the morning you might love a hot shower, or maybe a warm bath at the end of a busy day. After dinner you might enjoy the ease of a dishwasher, though without hot water your dishes will suffer from a lack of proper sanitation. Do you have some white laundry to do, but one of your clothing items has a tough stain? Good luck getting that out with a room temperature laundry cycle. Also if your energy bills are abnormally high this could be another effect of a water heater in need of being repaired. Here in Greenwood, Indiana, a lack of anything warm might be catastrophic during a tough winter. So here are the most common water heater repairs that you should be aware of this winter.

Heating Element Repair

In the case of electric water heaters, there are elements at the base of the tank that electrically warms water to the desired temperature. These elements usually work in pairs. If one element fails you may see a loss of hot water quickly, or it may take what seems like forever to heat up. If both elements fail you could be left without hot water altogether. A licensed plumbing professional can spot the problem with a diagnostic test of your water heater.

Gas Burner Repair

Unlike their electric cousins, gas-powered water heaters use a burner and pilot light to create heat and warm up the water in your tank. Not only can gas burners fail with age, but they can also fail because of homeowner neglect. Gas burners are particularly susceptible to a build-up of dirt and debris, so regular cleaning and overall maintenance is key to keeping your gas burner running strong. As most of us learned as children, gas plus fire is a dangerous combination. It is best to leave Gas powered water heater repairs in the hands of a trusted Greenwood, Indiana plumbing professional.

Water Heater Leak Repair

Water heater tank leakage is one of those issues you might not notice until it is too late, though once you do it is advised to act quickly. There are many factors as to why a tank leaks such as old age, and severe winter events. Though the most common reason is corroded metal. Factors such as age, and sediment buildup in the tank cause the metal frame to begin to corrode. Yes, you guessed it, as the water heater corrodes the same left in the frame will, unfortunately, let your water loose. Once a water leak is detected, it’s best to contact a plumbing professional. Leaks can destroy a lot more than your comfort.

Valve Repair

Water heaters are armed with a temperature-pressure safety relief valve. These valves are able to release some water in pressure from the water heater, if the pressure in your water heater tank climbs too high. With the combination of time and pressure, these valves may start to leak, causing the loss of hot water, the loss of water pressure, and causing water damage. All of the aforementioned issues may not only lead to plumbing repairs but may also significantly raise the cost of multiple energy bills. This might not be a hazardous repair, but procrastinating its service may lead to quite a headache in the future.

Other Common Issues

There are a few common problems with water heaters that homeowners may face, and a few of them may be linked together. When you run hot water does it come out in a rust-colored hue? Is your water taking entirely too long to warm up, and running out way too fast? Are there loud knocking and banging noises coming from a usually quiet water heater? Well, these issues are major but their prevention is minute. Most of the aforementioned problems can be solved with regular maintenance. One of the most popular suggested forms of water heater maintenance is a scheduled cleaning to remove sediment build-up. The natural minerals from water may build up over time causing rust-colored water, a lack of hot water, and even loud annoying noises. An easy cure for those issues is routine cleaning of your water heater. This isn’t the most dangerous task, but it is well worth the investment. Having a professional maintain your water heater may save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

So now that you know what to look for regarding water heater repair, it’s up to you to keep an eye out and be aware of any changes to your plumbing system. If you are still a bit unsure of what to look for, don’t hesitate to contact Johnson Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing at (317) 881-7738, in Greenwood Indiana. It’s better to play it safe than to shower cold.