Is Your Water Heater Broken?

You might not realize that you rely as heavily on the hot water in your building as much as cold water. To get hot water on your property, you need a functioning water heater. This appliance uses gas or electric energy to warm up water within a designated tank that will then distribute through your plumbing system where needed.

Between showers, washing dishes, and laundry, hot water plays a major role in your daily life. A broken water heater could cause a major disruption in your home or commercial building.

You can better avoid this plumbing emergency when you know more about how this appliance works. Read on to learn how you can tell your water heater is failing as well as what repairs you can expect.

What Are the Signs of Water Heater Failure?

Many people likely take for granted the easy access to heated water. If the water no longer runs hot or it cannot get hot enough, these are two major signs that the water heater in your building is failing. Cooler temperatures in the water can make for uncomfortable showers and other household dilemmas.

But these are not the only indicators that your water heater could be having problems. If hot water has an odd smell, taste, or appearance, this could point to corrosion in the pipes or tank leaching into the water supply.

Bacteria within the water may also generate a foul odor. Contaminated water could pose a risk to your health or your belongings. So seek prompt attention from a plumber about this problem.

Your water heater also should not make sounds, so if it seems noisy when running, it could have collected sediments. Without proper flushing, this could damage the appliance.

A leak in the tank could also put dangerous pressure on the water heater. Avoid major structural damage by seeking urgent maintenance if you notice this problem with your water heater.

What Repairs Will My Water Heater Need?

You can and should flush your water heater on an annual basis. This ensures the pressure valve works properly and that dangerous build-up does not hurt your appliance.

Bad smells, tastes, or looks in the water from the heated tank will often mean you need to clean your appliance. You will likely also need to replace the anode rod of the tank to get rid of corrosion.

When water can get warm but not hot enough, you might have an issue with the dip tube of the heater. A plumber can usually replace this part fairly easily. No hot water might point to an electrical issue, where the wiring will not allow the heater to function properly. Your plumber can evaluate the issue, find the malfunction, and replace or reconnect any necessary parts.

You can get a quote for your unique scenario when you contact your local plumbing expert in Annapolis, MD. In the event of an emergency, call their 24-hour response line at 301.685.5017.