A Look at Some Common Water Heater Problems
by Nicholas Chambers
Your water heater is meant to provide you with hot water whenever you need it. But like any other appliance in your home, your water heater too will fail to work properly sometimes, and when this happens, you should be in a position to troubleshoot the problem so you can have the necessary repairs done. The following guide will cover some issues common to water heaters.
Leaking
All plumbing appliances are susceptible to leaking, and your water heater is no exception. If water is coming out of your faucets at low pressure or there isn't any water coming out of the faucets at all, it could be because of a potential leakage. Any of the connections in your appliance is a possible leak spot. Start by inspecting the drain valve and the pressure relief valve, as these are the most likely sources of a drip.
The drain valve is located at the bottom part of your water tank. It is meant to drain water from the tank when there is too much sediment at the bottom of your tank. If the valve is damaged, water will start to leak and pool on the floor on which the tank stands. If the valve is loose, water may also begin to come out of the edges of the valve.
Your pressure relief valve, on the other hand, is meant to discharge water if the water becomes too hot or if there's excessive pressure inside the tank. This valve has a discharge tube running from the valve towards the floor where the released water can be safely directed. Therefore, you should check your pressure relief valve if you find any water pooling on your floors.
Sediment buildup
Having too much sediment in your water tank can cause problems to your hot water system. It could be reason behind the bad egg smell you observe around your appliance, low amounts of water coming out of your faucets or strange noises originating out of your water tank. To remove excessive sediment from your tank, you will need to drain all the water out of the tank. Once the tank has been emptied, fill it up again halfway by opening the intake (cold water) valve. Flush out the cold water from the tank via the drain valve. Do this repeatedly until all the sediment is gone. Flushing out sediment buildup is a job that should be carried out as a part of routine maintenance, and not just when your water heater is acting up.
Share
About Me
If I didn't know better, I'd think my toddler started each day with a challenge to throw something new and different down the toilet. He has managed to put nearly anything can imagine down the toilet. I have gotten pretty good at figuring out what has gone missing down the loo and whether it's something I can fix or something that I need to call the plumber to help me fix it. This blog is for other mums of toddlers who need to get toys out of the toilet and get the toilet back to working condition as soon as possible!