Gas or electric water heaters are one of the most dependable appliances in our homes and the electric version of the water heater is tops in reliability, but still things can go wrong and of course regular maintenance is necessary.
Helpful Tips:
Check the water heater’s temperature setting. Set the temperature control to about 150 degrees F. or lower if you have no dishwasher or if you have small children or elderly people in the home who might scald themselves
Insulate hot water pipes. To minimize the energy it takes to heat the water, insulate your water pipes if they run a long way from your heater to your faucets.
Periodically check the temperature-pressure relief valve, which keeps pressure in the boiler from building up too much.
Signs that there may be a problem:
- No hot water
- Inadequate hot water
- Water temperature too hot
- Leaky pipe connection
- Leaky water storage tank
- Rust colored water
- Rotten egg odor
- Low rumbling or popping noise
- Higher pitched whining
A 40 gallon water heater can only deliver about 27 gallons of usable warm water. It’s very easy to use up hot water without realizing it. As sediment builds up in a water heater, it takes more energy to heat the water.
It’s a good idea to flush a water heater every 3 months in areas with hard water. Excessive sediment is the major cause of low hot water pressure.
If there is water on the floor around the water heater, check all openings in the tank, such as the drain valve, pressure relieve valve…also check the plumbing above the water heater. If after all the checks you can’t find a leak and you have lots of water on the floor the water heater tank is most likely leaking. Water heater tanks can’t be repaired.
If you need help troubleshooting the problem or need a new water heater installed…call Pinky’s Plumbing.
