It’s such a nice feeling to turn the hot water tap and receive a nice steady stream of hot water for our hands, or morning shower and the millions of other things we need hot water for. On the other hand, it is a very troubling feeling when we turn the hot water tap and receive a handful of cold water or a cold slap to the face during our morning shower ritual. We often take our water heaters for granted until they’ve given us their all and pass (sometimes not so quietly) into that great water heater space in the sky. However, it is important to keep in mind that not all water heater problems are permanent or difficult to fix. Sometimes heating inconsistencies, noises, and other issues can be taken care of yourself.
If you’re experiencing heating issues with your water heater, there may not be any serious problem at all. If your water isn’t very hot or seems to be selectively hot, sometimes all you need is a simple thermostat adjustment. This feature should be easy to locate on your water heater and in most homes they are typically set between 120 and 140 degrees.
If you suddenly have no hot water, the problem is often times a broken heating element (on electric heaters) or a broken thermocouple (on gas units). These components are easy to replace and instructions are typically included in the manual or on the unit itself. Upon replacing these components, you should have hot water as soon as they are able to heat your tank back up.
If your water heater is making noises, which may or may not include the following: knocking, banging, hissing, screeching, screams of impending doom, or a myriad of other terrible noises. Most often the problem is caused by sediment, mineral buildup and other water impurities. These demonic sounds occur when water impurities clog the plumbing of your unit or get heated by your unit’s heating element. While the noises may sound horrific, don’t be deterred. Most of the time, simply flushing out the sediment stuck in the tank can put the spirits to rest.
If you’re unsure about how to perform any of these tasks, or you’d just like a professional opinion about your water heater, don’t hesitate to contact us here at Electric Rooter. We are Utah’s plumbing experts and we pride ourselves on our quality service. We can answer all your water heater questions, service your unit, or get you a replacement fast! All you have to do is shoot us an email or give us a call. We love helping you with your plumbing questions.
