The water heater is the most durable appliance in your home. However, it can also break down and then needs repair. Knowing a thing or two about common water heater problems and how to solve them will give you an upper hand in such situations.

How do you diagnose a water heater problem?

When you get a water heater installation in Los Angeles done, ensure professional inspection from a qualified plumbing and HVAC professional. If there are any errors, it can be corrected quickly and no problems will occur for a long time.

Water heater troubles are easy to identify if you can look for these signs:

Too little or too hot water

If the water heater heats up very fast or the water stays cold after running it for a significant amount of time, you need a professional to check it up and offer water heater repair services based on the root cause of the issue.

Bubbling or crackling noise

The sounds can occur if there is a mineral buildup in your water heater. When the heating element heats up, these minerals start making that noise. Call a water heater repair professional to clean the tank and remove the mineral buildup.

Puddles around the water heater

Cracks in your tanks or leaks in your pipes are associated with this problem. Over time the durability of your water heater will wear down. This will result in these problems.

Discoloration in your water

This is the result of mineral buildup, corrosion, or dirt buildup inside your water heater. If your water heater is producing brownish water, stop using it immediately. Do not let rusted water get on your body or eyes. Call for emergency water heater repair services.

What is the most common problem with water heaters? And their solutions

Water temperature

Water temperature is the most noticeable of all water heater problems. After all, you want your water hot, and the water heater does that job. The reasons behind water temperature could range from problems in the heating elements to the electrical line itself. Here’s how to solve it. But you should take professional assistance to avoid risks to you and your partner or family:

You might need to replace the circuit breaker.
Find the reset button and reset the water heater.
If this does not solve the problem. You might have to replace the malfunctioning component. Call a water heater expert for the task.

Quantity of water

Sometimes, people misjudge the size and capacity of the water heater and buy a smaller unit. The water heater might not be able to provide enough water at a time.

If your water heater is not producing 75% of its capacity, your water line itself might be at fault. Therefore, call a licensed water heater repair professional to resolve the issue.

Water heater leaks

Water heater leaks are another very common problem. Cracks in the tank and leaks from the pipes are the main reason. In order to solve this problem, you have to.

Observe the tanks. If it has cracks in it, you have to change it.
If there are leaks in your pipes, you have to change them as well. However, if it is a minor leak, you can use leak-proof tapes to cover it up. We recommend finding a new pipe and replacing it with a permanent solution.

Also Read: Troubleshooting Tips For Water Heater Repair

Weird noises

Weird noises are not rare in water heaters. The problem originates from mineral buildup in the water heater. You can get rid of this by flushing your water heater. Here’s how you can flush your water heater:

Turn off your water heater. Turn off the gas/electric connection and cold water supply as well. Now open the hot water tap. Now a drain spigot and connect a garden hose. Start draining. Once it has drained, turn on the water supply and refill it. After refilling, flush again.
Flush at least three times.
If you are not sure about the process, get a professional water heater service technician to flush the tank and get a maintenance service done.

Discoloration of water

Discoloration of water mainly happens because of dirt and mineral buildup. However, it can also be due to corrosion inside the water heater. Every water heater has an anode rod to fight corrosion. Over time, this anode rod will stop working, and then corrosion will begin. If you are currently facing discoloration, try these:

Flush your water heater, as mentioned above, to get rid of mineral buildup. This will also get rid of dirt buildup.
If the discoloration is persistent, change your anode rod. Any good water heater expert will replace the anode rod for you.

Check for warranty

Common water heater issues are nothing to be afraid of. Most water heaters come with a significant warranty period. So if you are facing troubles like the ones mentioned above, check your warranty details. A lot of the time, people ignore this and end up paying money for something that would have been free for them.

When do you need an expert?

Be it gas water heater problems or electric water heater problems, there are obviously some things that you can do on your own. But if you are not absolutely sure that you can do it yourself, it’s not worth the risk.

There are many things that can go wrong while attempting DIYs. So we recommend hiring a water heater expert to troubleshoot water heater problems. Find water heater technicians that are licensed and experienced.

You can hire EZ Plumbing and Restoration

EZ Plumbing and Restoration has dedicated water heater repair teams in California. We also have water heater installation packages if you are looking to replace your water heater. We are an esteemed company with over three decades of experience. Give us a call anytime you want. We are available 24/7. Hiring us will not only save you time but also money.

How to Troubleshoot and Repair the Most Common Water Heater Issues