Four Signs Your Water Heater Needs Repair

Performing routine maintenance and repairing your hot water heater when issues arise is the best way to maximize its life span and keep it operating at peak performance. If left untreated, minor issues can become more severe and even cause your hot water heater to fail completely. To ensure your water heater is running efficiently, contact our water heater repair technicians if any of these problems arise:

Strange Noises

A water heater that’s making unusual noises requires attention from a professional. Strange noises can occur when sediment accumulates at the bottom of the tank and the hard-water scale breaks off. This hinders your water heater’s efficiency, as it must now use more energy to heat the water, causing wear and tear on your tank. A water heater repair professional will resolve the issue by draining the tank and removing the sediment.

Cloudy or Rusty Water

Is cloudy or rusty water coming out of the faucet? In older tanks, cloudy water can occur when sediment builds up inside the tank. If this is the issue, a water heater professional can clean it out. Rusty water may indicate the inside of the tank is rusting, or the rust may be coming from galvanized pipes. Cloudy and rusty water may also suggest your tank is about to sprout a leak.

Leaks

Even the smallest leaks need to be addressed. If ignored, a minor leak can turn into a larger leak that eventually leads to the flooding of your water heater storage area. A leak in the water heater might mean the system’s anode rod has failed, which can cause the tank to rupture. A leak may also come from problems with the pipes, fittings or connections. No matter the cause of the problem, contact a professional to fix the leaks as soon as possible.

Uneven Heat Distribution or No Hot Water

If there’s no hot water, bursts of cold water, or only lukewarm water coming from your faucets, then there’s something wrong with your water heater. No hot water coming from the faucets can mean one of two things: either you hot water heater needs repair or replacement, or the pilot light is out. A professional will be able to get to the roof of the problem.

Bursts of cold water are often the result of a damaged dip tube, a tube that runs from the top of the tank to the bottom along the water line. If the dip tube is damaged, hot water flowing inside the tank is mixing with the cold water flowing outside. A broken dip tube can also cause lukewarm water. This issue can also signify it’s time for your water heater to be cleaned out or that the thermostat is not set to the right temperature.

For the fast repair of your hot water heater, contact our hot water heater repair technicians at Water Heater Services: (703) 497-4118.