Effective Solutions for Common Water Heater Problems

Water heaters provide hot water for your everyday cleanliness and your home and keep you safe from bacteria and dirt. Sometimes, water heaters do not work properly and cause inconvenience in the supply of hot water in your home. In case of serious damage like water line leaks and installation errors, you need licensed commercial plumbing services. Many common water heater problems, like adjusting a setting or pressing a reset button, can be easily fixed by yourself. Below are solutions to some problems that water heaters commonly face.

Fixing a Faulty Thermocouple

Another common issue with water heaters is a faulty thermocouple. If the pilot light turns off after running the heater, then read the instructions on the side of the heater and restart it. If the flame of the burner goes out after you unplug the control knob, then there is a problem with the thermocouple. The solution to this problem is to align the thermocouple in such a way that its tip properly adjusts in the pilot of the water heater. If it does not work, then your heater’s thermocouple is contaminated, so consider replacing it.

Resolving Heating Failures

Sometimes, water heaters fail to heat water properly. A lack of hot water can be caused by a variety of issues in different types of heaters. If you have an electric water heater that is not heating water, then check its circuit breaker. If you find the breaker has not been tripped, then reset the circuit. In the case of a gas water heater, if the water is not heating after the pilot light is on, then make sure the lines are melted before heating the water.

Preventing Limescale Formation

When hard water flows through plumbing appliances, the minerals in hard water deposit and ultimately develop into thick layers. When the water heater starts its work, some of the water evaporates, leaving behind a thick layer of minerals that form limescale. This deposit can cause low water pressure, threaten damage to the heating element, increase the consumption of energy to heat water, and reduce the effectiveness of your water heater. It is recommended that you flush your tank of water heater once a year and tankless water heater every six months to ensure it’s working smoothly. You might get into a situation where the water heater cannot be repaired by flushing. So, you can get water heater replacement services from reputable service providers. 

Repairing Water Heater Leaks

Leakage of water from water heaters can cause serious damage. It is caused by various reasons like a low-quality gasket, overheating, and an immovable valve. You can fix this issue by tightening loose heating element bolts and plumbing connections. But keep in mind that over-tightening them can lead to a new issue. Sometimes, the water storage tanks get corroded from the inside and leak. So, you should check for leaks around the storage tank regularly. If the leaking issue is not resolved using this method, you probably need to replace the gasket.