Water Heater Troubleshooting
How to Determine if Your Water Heater Needs Repair or Replacement
Is your water heater working properly?
A broken hot water heater can mean tremendous headaches for
homeowners who do not address the problem quickly. It’s easy to forget just how
reliant we have become on readily available heated water, especially during the
colder months. Regardless of the season, a malfunctioning hot water heater is not
something that should be ignored.
Signs of a Malfunctioning Hot Water Heater
A water heater that is functioning properly will not allow moisture to escape. Leaking
water is a good indication that something is wrong. Many
households have their appliance tucked out of sight in a closet, basement or other
out of the way space. As soon as you notice something is amiss, go to the hot water
heater and look for moisture under or around it. Other signs include uneven temperatures
and overheated water.
Emergency Water Heater Shut Off
The water heater should be shut down as soon as a problem is discovered. This requires
shutting off the flow of water to the unit as well as its power source. If the water
heater runs on gas, then this should be shut of first. Look for a single handled
valve along the gas line. This will be located close to the water heater. Once located,
this valve should be turned clockwise to stop the flow of gas to the unit.
If you own an electric water heater, go to the circuit breaker box and manually
switch off power to the unit. This should be kept off until the repair is complete
or the replacement water heater is in place and ready to operate.
The water line must also be stopped to prevent the water heater from refilling.
To do this, look at the top of the unit. To the right there should be a water line
running into the appliance. This is the cold water line. A valve will be present
that can be turned clockwise to stop water flow.
Draining Hot Water Heaters Prior to Replacement or Maintenance
The liquid remaining in the hot water heater should be removed prior to replacement
or repair. This is done by attaching a garden hose to the boiler drain found at
the bottom of the unit. The drain looks much like the standard outdoor hose hookup.
Some may have a longer handle while others may only have a groove for a screwdriver.
After connecting the hose make sure it is attached firmly. The opposite end should
be placed inside a tub or outdoors so it does not drain inside the
home. Once the hose is ready to go, simply turn the handle or flathead screwdriver
and the hot water heater will begin draining. The length of time required to completely
drain the unit will vary depending on capacity.
Shut Off Your Hot Water Heater and Give Us a Call
Once your hot water heater is off and drained, all leaking should stop. Give us
a call right away so we can identify the problem and provide a recommendation. Inland
Empire Plumbing offers repair and replacement services for tank and tankless water
heaters.