Your water heater is one of the most indispensable appliances in your home. You depend on the hot water it provides you with just about every single day. And that means even small problems can cause a pretty big disruption. When you depend on hot water for everything from cooking to cleaning to bathing and even for use with other appliances, a water heater issue can more or less bring your life at home to a screeching and frustrating halt. Here’s everything you need to know about water heater installations and maintenance.
Types of Water Heaters
Instant Water Heater
Instant water heaters store hot water in an insulated tank. They can be filled with cold water from a tap or even from a swimming pool, then turned on and left to heat up before using it for your hot water needs. Instant water heaters are convenient because they provide hot water immediately when you need it most—but they also have some disadvantages: they’re expensive to purchase and maintain, can’t be used in homes with low ceilings, and require more maintenance than other types of water heaters (such as storage).
If you have a lot of people living in your house or if you’re on a septic system, we recommend an instant water heater as it’s cheaper and less complicated to use than a storage water heater would be.
Storage Water Heater
Storage water heaters are installed in basements, garages, and crawl spaces where standing pipes or tanks may not be practical. Storage tanks provide constant hot water throughout the day while providing energy-efficient heating since there is no need for any electricity input at all (except during startup).
A storage water heater, unlike an instant water heater, which tapers the water flow to produce a limited surface area that can be heated immediately, simply opens the floodgates to a reservoir of already heated water. As a result, the flow rate is unregulated, making it ideal for high-pressure shower fixtures like rain showers, massage jets, and bathtubs.
Common water heater repairs
Water Leaks
When it comes to issues with your water heater, water leaks are generally the most commonly found problem. Water heaters are not very long lasting, and over the years of use, you’ll find that due to wear and tear, your tank has begun to crack. This is because of the corrosive nature of water overtime.
The good news is that a few cracks in your tank doesn’t necessarily mean that it needs to be replaced. If you can only spot leaks happening from atop the tanks, that could simply be caused by a few loose connections. This is an easy fix – simply have a look at the pipes that carry your cold water in and warm water out – make sure to fasten them tightly and check to see whether they are firmly connected.
Your problem begins if your tank seems to be leaking from underneath. This is generally caused by condensation – all you have to do is crank up the thermostat. While water leaking from the bottom of your tank could also be due to a leaky pressure relief valve or an overflow pipe, it may also be a warning sign of corrosion in your tank. In this case, we recommend you invest in a new water tank immediately.
The plumbers at PW Plumbing are experts at water heater installations, and we will have your water smoothly running again.
Lack of Water
If you find that your tank is always brimming with water, but you never seem to be able to get warm water, then generally you will find the root cause to be your water heater.
When it comes to electric water heaters, this could be caused by a failure of the heating elements or even due to a bad connection to its direct power source.
In the case of a brand new water heater, then you might want to call us. We will send our expert plumbers with knowledge on electronic ignition systems to have a look at your breaker box. They will check on the circuit and ensure that it hasn’t tripped.
If so, we can simply reset it for you and you should have no problem accessing hot water thereon.
Water Too Hot or Too Cold
Does your water temperature often switch from hot to cold and back to hot again? This could mean that you’re facing inconsistent temperatures due to a fault in your thermostat.
If your water gets too hot or not warm enough even when the thermostat is appropriately adjusted, then you are certainly in need of a new thermostat.
PW Plumbing can have your thermocouple replaced or cleaned in order to get it to sense temperatures properly again. There is a chance that if your water isn’t heating up enough, it could be caused by a limitation in your gas flow. In this case, your burner will not be able to properly heat the water in the water tank. Luckily for you, it’s not a major problem and we can fix this minor water heater repair in no time.
Contract Our Services
PW Plumbing will help you determine what type of water heater makes sense for your home. Once we decide on the best option, we will proceed with your brand-new water heater installation. So, if you ever need help with your water heater installation or water heater repair, give us a call!
