What Are Common Water Heater Problems? and How to Fix Them
Washing your hands or taking showers with hot water is relaxing, and it’s difficult to not get used to it.
There’s not a problem with getting used to hot water, but you better solve water heater issues as soon as you notice since they could take hot water from you if you don’t address them on time. However, how can you solve these issues if you don’t know them?
Here, you can find some of the most common water heater problems and how to fix them. There are other water heater issues apart from the ones on this list, but they are not as common and are often caused by external factors or more severe malfunctions.
Most Common Water Heater Problems – How Can I Fix Them?
Temperature issues, leaks, tank corrosion, and sediment build-up are some of the most common problems your water heater can have, so check if your water heater has one of them before trying to solve it.
It’s worth noting that some of these issues require you to call a professional to solve everything, so take that into account before trying to DIY something you can’t solve without help.
Temperature Issues
Temperature issues include many things since depending on how cold or hot water is, the problem could be different. When water is too cold, it’s more likely that the water heater’s thermostat is not working.
If water is not hot enough but not cold, either, your issue may be size-related. This often happens when you have an undersized water heater for your water tank. Thermostat issues are also there when water is too hot, and it’s more likely because it’s set too high or higher than it should.
Thermostats often malfunction when they don’t have enough power to work, so reset tripped circuit breakers and replace any blown fuses. If the problem is that the thermostat is set too high, the only thing you need to do is manually adjust it.
As for water heaters that are undersized, the only thing left to do is to ask someone to check if it’s properly sized and get a new one if it’s not.
Leaks
Leaks often happen because of loose plumbing connections, so check that before anything else. Although you can check if tightening loose heating element bolts work, we recommend you hire a professional for the matter.
Tank’s Inner Lining Corrosion
Tank corrosion comes after failing anode rods, and it’s a serious issue if you let it progress. You can easily detect this problem since it discolors water and makes it rusty. Replacing the anode rod could help you on this one.
Sediment Build-Up
If you hear weird noises coming from your water heater, there may be some sediment build-up there. Fortunately, flushing a water heater is not that difficult and is often enough to solve this problem. However, you may need to call a professional to take care of the situation if the build-up is too difficult to remove.
Final Thoughts
While some of these issues are easy to solve by yourself or with some help, always make sure the problem is not too big for you to fix since it’s best to invest in a professional water heater plumbing technician than lose your water heater.
