Have you ever gotten up in the morning ready to start your day and rather than being able to take a nice warm shower, you figure out real quick you are going to have to shower in icy water? Or you may have found a nice puddle of water in your garage. If you have ever experienced any of these situations, not only can it be extremely frustrating but your very next thought is “how much will this cost me?” You now have to decide whether you should call someone to repair your water heater or just bite the bullet and have it replaced. Below are several factors that will help you make an informed decision prior to calling a licensed plumber in Jacksonville FL that you can trust.
Common Water Heater Problems:
1. No Hot Water
2. Insufficient Hot Water
3. Leaking Water Storage Tank
4. Rust Colored Water
5. Low Water Pressure
6. Leaking Pipe Connection
If you are looking to troubleshoot the water heater yourself, please make sure you take the proper safety precautions by turning off the circuit breaker or fuse powering the water heater. Now let’s review each common problem and the potential reasons for experiencing each.
- No Hot Water– if you are experiencing no hot water there are a few potential reasons this could be occurring:
a. Lack of power to heating elements due to tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse handling water heater circuit
b. Defective electric thermostat
c. Defective upper electric heating element - Insufficient Hot Water– the water is lukewarm or does not stay hot for long periods of time could indicate the following:
a. Water heater may be undersized for your home.
b. Crossed connections for cold and hot water due to faulty plumbing installation.
c. Faulty electric lower or upper heating element or high or low heating element thermostat. (A constant supply of lukewarm water during a shower is indicative of a defective upper heating element. Short-duration hot water supply during a shower is indicative of a defective lower heating element). - Leaking Water Storage Tank– if you notice water coming out of the tank, or puddling in your garage, below are the most common reasons:
a. Corrosion of the tank
b. Leak from plumbing connection
c. Loose heating element bolts or faulty gasket
d. Defective Temperature & Pressure Valve (T&P) Valve - Rust Colored Water– water having a rust color is due to:
a. Corrosion within the glass-lined tank.
b. Sacrificial Anode Rod is failing (this can also cause a rotten odor smell in your tank) - Water Pressure Low – this could occur due to the following reasons:
a. Water Heater Dip Tube went bad, causing white or gray sediment to build up in faucet strainers
b. Hard Water Build Up
As with all water heaters, they will eventually break or need to be replaced. Most hot water heaters have a life span of about 10-12 years. If your water heater is only a few years old, the repair will probably be the best option.
If the tank is over ten years old and it is leaking, a new water tank is more than likely in your future. Over time, water minerals react with steel, corroding the tank. Once a water heater tank springs a leak, it has to be replaced. If you have to purchase a new water heater, the newer tanks are twenty percent more efficient, thus saving you money over the life of the water heater. New glass liners also make water heaters less prone to corrosion.
If you are in the market for a tankless water heater, heat pump, or solar water heater, these options are more costly upfront, but they offer a longer lifespan of up to thirty years. You may also qualify for a tax incentive with your investment.
Water Heater Contractor
If you are having a problem with your water heater or are in need of a replacement call our Jacksonville Plumbers today. At Metro Rooter our professional plumbers will assess your hot water heater and provide you with the most cost-effective and honest solution to your problem. Call us today for all of your hot water heater problems (904) 567-3775