Water heater repair is critical to your overall comfort at home. Hot water is an essential utility that serves necessary daily needs such as washing, cleaning, cooking, and bathing. You may take your water heater for granted, but it is an important appliance to consider for repairs when things go wrong.
Thus it is essential to know when to call a plumber or emergency plumbing services. Whether the repair is minor or significant, like a complete tank replacement, a licensed plumber, or a certified plumber is without match. Everything from gas water heaters to electric water heaters needs an experienced technician who knows precisely what they are doing.
This article explores the various tell-tale signs that you need to consider. These signs will tell you when your water heater needs a professional to handle problems like frozen pipes, malfunctioning heating elements, or just a faulty pilot light. Depending on the time of the day or year, you might even need to call on emergency plumbers.
Whichever solution you choose, always make sure to contact professional plumbing contractors who have been in business for a while. A reputed, plumbing licensed company is essential for the times when you need to call a plumber.
Cold or Lukewarm Water
If your water heater is not heating, the first thing to check is the temperature setting. Has it accidentally been turned down? Extreme cold weather might also make it difficult for your water heater to keep up with high volume usage. If the water coming in is really cold, it will take longer to heat it up to the desired temperature.
If neither of these factors explains the low water temperature, there might be a need for water heater repair. You may have a problem with the heating elements, anode rod, or fuel source (in the case of gas water heaters). It is time to call a plumber or emergency plumbing services.
Water is Discolored
Pure water should be colorless. It might seem cloudy when pressurized, but it will turn colorless once it settles. So if the water coming out of your shower or tap looks murky, yellow, or brown, there might be a problem with your water heater.
Sedimentation will often cause water to accumulate particles of heavy minerals deposited inside the tank. These particles result in turbid water that looks bad and is also unhealthy. Continued use of such water can cause health issues. It can also cause other appliances like the dishwasher and the washing machine to malfunction.
In this case, it is essential to immediately stop using the water and call a certified plumber at the earliest. Only a trained, licensed plumber knows how to safely and effectively clean the water heater tank to purify your water supply once again.
Strange Noises Coming From the Water Heater Tank
As some machines age, they can start to make unusual sounds. Your water heater is no different. As it becomes older, it might begin to make a slight buzz that gradually progresses into a low rumble as the years go by. This is nothing to be concerned about. Such sounds are expected, and you should not worry about them.
However, it is time to call a plumber if you hear loud banging sounds, sudden crackling noises, and sharp hissing and popping sounds. The water tank may have a lot of mineral deposits that are causing the tank to malfunction. Or it might have a broken dip tube that is causing the cold water to mix with the hot.
Such problems might weaken your tank and cause it to leak. If that hasn’t happened yet, a certified plumber can easily fix it by draining it completely and cleaning it.
Leaking Water
Your water heater is a sealed system. So if there is water leaking out of it, it is cause for major concern. It can lead to a lot of damage to the water heater and the machinery and fittings surrounding it.
Stop the system and call a plumber as soon as you confirm that the water heater is leaking. You may need to contact emergency plumbing services if it is after or before business hours or during the holidays.
Constantly Changing Water Temperature
If your water temperature constantly changes between hot, lukewarm, and cold, your water heater may be an issue. This pattern shows the sudden mixing of hot and cold, which may happen inside the water heater itself or because of a sudden drop in hot water pressure because it is being used elsewhere in the house.
Call a plumber at the earliest to fix the issue before it damages your plumbing systems.
Thank you for reading about water repairs: 5 signs you need to call a plumber…
If you face problems with your water heater, first try to eliminate all common causes and errors. Once you are sure that there is nothing you can do to remedy the situation, it is time to call a plumber for a professional water heater repair job.
James Anderson
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