Living in Fountain Hills without a reliable water heater can be a huge headache. Even getting in the shower could fill you with dread. Most of the time, your water heater should last for years without any problems. However, plenty of things could prevent it from functioning normally. If you’ve had some issues with yours, consider the following.
Inadequate Water Supply
If you’ve got a tank-storage heater, then there might not be enough water in it. These systems store water inside of a tank before heating it. Every time you turn on the tap, hot water rushes out of the tank. Sometimes, all the water drains because you’re using too many appliances. So, if you’re trying to take a shower, wait to do the laundry.
Problems like this are pretty easy to detect, though. Simply give your water heater a little time. Then, try using the tap again. Usually, these systems can refill their tanks in about 10 minutes. If there’s still no hot water, it’s probably something else.
Sediment Buildup
Sediment accumulates at the bottom of your water heater’s tank over time. Regularly maintaining them should flush all of that out. But, if you’ve gone without regular maintenance, those buildups could cause problems. Enough sediment could block water flow entirely. Then, nothing will make it out of the tank.
To check for sediment, listen to your water heater. Typically, you’ll be able to hear if there’s any in there. If you hear something rattling around, you’ll need to hire someone to help. Our team can flush the tank, removing all the sediment. After that, your water heater should start working normally again.
Issues With The Pressure Relief Valve
Every water heater has something called a TPR valve. These valves release excess pressure whenever the water heater gets too hot. Otherwise, the whole thing could explode. However, if the TPR valve begins to leak, it could cause problems with your water pressure.
Usually, you’ll notice if there’s a leak on the TPR valve. Water will pool underneath the water heater. You can try to fix it yourself. First, place a bucket under the overhead piping. Then, try to open the TPR valve. It should release a little bit of water. And, if there’s anything blocking it, that should come out as well. After opening the valve, try closing it again.
Any remaining leaks would indicate that you’ve got a defective valve. You’d have to call a professional to replace that right away. Defective valves could be a potential safety hazard.
Pilot Light Won’t Ignite
Gas furnaces use something called a thermocouple to keep the pilot light on. These create a tiny electrical current, opening the gas valve. When the thermocouple breaks, no gas can get released. Then, your pilot light won’t stay on at all.
Pilot lights can go out for other reasons too, though. Even a disruption to your gas service could extinguish it. And, without a pilot light, your water won’t heat up.
If you’ve noticed the pilot light is off, you can try to reignite it. Take a small match and put it near the pilot light. As long as it’s still working, it should light right up. Otherwise, you might have a defective part. Calling a professional would be the easiest way to get to the bottom of things.
No Power Or Gas
Finally, if there’s a disruption to your power or gas, the water heater might not work. Gas furnaces must have a steady supply of gas. Electric water heaters have to use electricity. Without them, neither of these devices will function. If that’s the problem, they should work again once the service has been restored.
With an electric unit, there could even be a tripped circuit. Take a look at your circuit breakers to make sure they all work. Flip any of them that seem to be tripped. A lot of the time, that will take care of any issues.
For gas heaters, you’ve got to keep their tanks full. Call your gas company to see if they’ve sent enough gas for yours. Sometimes, they might have forgotten to fill it up.
Your Fountain Hills Water Heater Team
Travis & Sons Plumbing & Rooter has been helping Fountain Hills residents with their water heaters since 1989. We can help you maintain, repair, and install your water heater. We can even help you with any plumbing services you may need. Call Travis & Sons Plumbing & Rooter today to schedule a service call.