In some ways, warm, running water is the lifeblood of your home. Without it, you’d be unable to take comfortable showers or sanitize dishes in the dishwasher. Because warm water is so important, keeping your water heater in top condition should be a priority. Outside of performing regular maintenance, you can do this by keeping an eye out for common water heater problems.
4 Common Water Heater Problem and Solutions
Problem #1: Overheating
When you notice scalding hot water coming for your kitchen tap, you’ll know somethings up with the water heater. Most frequently, this problem arises when the elements on your water heater become overheated as a result of sediment build-up. When this happens, you’ll need to flush or drain the water heater to remove the sediment.
Problem #2: Pilot Light Wont Stay Lit
When your pilot light wont stay lit, it may be because a build-up of carbon deposits is restricting the flame. When this happens, you’ll have to remove the pilot and flush it with hot water. If this doesn’t resolve the problem, you may need to replace the piece entirely.
Problem #3: Leaking
When your water heater starts leaking, you may assume that the problem is severe. However, simply replacing the drain valve may resolve the problem. Fortunately, this replacement is easy to perform on your own and the parts wont be overly expensive either.
Problem #4: Failure to Heat
As the name indicates, your water heater is responsible for providing warm water to your home. When it fails, you may notice the water becoming gradually cooler. This can be a side effect of the drain valve or pilot malfunctioning, but most commonly it results from a failed thermocouple. The thermocouple is the piece that is attached to the gas valve and thermostat and detects the presence of the pilot light. When it fails, youll want to make the inexpensive replacement as soon as possible.
When you experience these four common water heater problems, it can be easy to assume that a total water heater replacement needs to take place. However, in most cases, the problem can be resolved easily from home.
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