Water Heater Problems

Hot water heater problems 

Hot water heater problems, hot water heater troubleshooting and water heater repair are all do-it-yourself tasks. An hour or two of studying your water-heaters repair manual is well worth saving hundreds of dollars in water-heater repair bills. You can easily diagnose your water heater’s problems with a few simple household tools and, in the case of electric water heater problems, a multimeter. Your water heater’s manufacture is the best place to find water heater trouble shooting guides, tips and possibly parts free. Even if your water heater is no longer under warranty, call them anyway, it never hurts to ask. 

Leaking Water Heater Problems 

Diagnosing a leaking water heater begins with an inspection of all water heater parts. The threaded port each water heater part enters into the tank; these are common leak points. The threads are the weakest places on the tank; there is no protection with a glass or ceramic lining.  

When the water heater threads rust out, you have to replace the tank. The tank itself will eventually break down and perforate with tiny pin size holes. Repairing holes in the tank is possible; however, not recommended. Depending on the repair material, you could contaminate the water causing a health issue. 

Lack of Hot Water Problems 

Lack of hot water from electric water heaters is often because of one or more worn water heater parts. All water heater parts must work together in succession for any water heater to function properly.  The ultimate electric-water heater repair strategy is to replace all its electric heating elements and thermostats at one time. This will pretty much guaranty, good as new service, from your electric water heater, depending on the amount of mineral buildup inside the tank. Only replacing one part is just asking for trouble in the near future. You can save money by purchasing all in one water heater rebuild kits at your hardware store of home center for around $30 to $40 dollars, as of 2011.  

The lack of hot water coming from a gas or propane water heaters commonly caused by a worn gas control valve or mineral buildup on the control valve’s thermostat probe.  You can clean the probe; this is a temporary fix and will only last or a short time. Replacing the control valve and thermocouple will rebuild your gas water heater for a few more years. 

A broken water heater dip-tube will also cause a lack of hot water. The waterheater dip tube is located in the cold-water inlet side of the water heater, usually on the right hand side. It feeds the cold water to the bottom of the tank where it is mixed and heated. When the dip tube is broken it causes the cold water to bypass mixing and travels straight over to the hot water outlet. You may feel hot water at first, and then it turns warm, or even cold, within a few minutes. 

Low Hot Water Pressure and Volume 

Low hot water pressure and water volumes do to a blockage in the incoming cold water supply line or the outgoing hot water feed line. This occurs most often in the nipples connected to the top or sides of the water heater. Rust and corrosion buildup in the plumbing pipes and dielectric nipples, cause blockages that slow the water flow down tremendously.  

Faucets and water supply lines blocked with mineral build up cause low hot water pressure and volume as well.  The smaller openings in the faucet body are susceptible to build up, and need cleaned on occasion. Faucet aerators, where the water flows from the end of the faucet spout, clog often and need cleaned. 

Water Heater Noise Problems 

Water heaters noises like banging, popping, snapping, hissing and cracking are just a few ways to describe them. Frequently reported, water heater noises, thought to be angry spirits or ghosts, are simply a combination of heating and cooling (expanding and contracting metal) and mineral buildup inside the water heater. Like boiling water on the stove, when water is heated, it expands and separates creating air bubbles. These air bubbles are lighter than water so they have to rise. When minerals on the bottom of the tank trap them, they build up until they violently break through; this is the noise of popping and cracking.  Cleaning the water heater is a way to stop water heater noises.