The water heater plays an important role in your Twin Cities home. It maintains an ample supply of hot water for cleaning, bathing, and cooking. And, the hot water is ready for use day or night, every day of the year. That means your water heater works a lot of overtime and uses a lot of energy in doing so. All of this hot water use means that your water heater needs regular TLC from time to time. But, how do you know when? What follows are five signs your water heater needs maintenance soon!

INTERMITTENT HOT WATER

You’re in the shower and the hot water goes out again. Wait for it… Now, it’s warming back up. It’s frustrating! Yes, intermittent hot water is annoying. If there aren’t any other appliances in your home using hot water at the same time, then it means you have a problem with your water heater. There are a few different causes for intermittent hot water that your plumber will look at:

  • The dip tube that carries fresh water to the bottom of the tank is broken.
  • One or both heating elements are faulty and need to be replaced (for electric water heaters).
  • For gas water heaters, check to make sure the gas is turned on. There could also be a problem in the combustion compartment.

NO HOT WATER

If you have no hot water at all, you’ll need to do a little investigating. If your water heater still produces hot water, but it’s just not enough to go around for your whole family, then you need to install a larger water heater. If the problem is that your water heater isn’t producing hot water at all, check the circuit panel to make sure a breaker hasn’t tripped. Finally, the heating elements may have worn out completely and need to be replaced.

STRANGE ODORS

Strange sounds are common for water heaters, but strange odors are not. In fact, strange odors like rotten eggs should raise a red flag. It could mean that your water heater or water supply is infected with bacteria. Call your plumbing professional right away to test the water.

STRANGE SOUNDS

If you’re hearing strange noises from your water heater, it’s definitely a sign that you need water heater maintenance. For example, loud popping, banging, or booming noises is a sign of too much sediment and debris build up on the bottom of the tank. Mineral deposits take hold of the bottom of the tank. When steam bubbles are produced from heating, the deposits are dislodged and make a loud noise. It may also be possible that the dip tube is rattling around inside the water heater. Your plumber needs to clean the water heater and check it out.

WATER LEAKS

A leaky water heater is a very serious problem. Leaks will originate is typically three places: under the tank due to rust, at any of the gaskets due to worn gaskets, or at the temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve. If water is leaking from the bottom of the water heater, it could send gallons of water into your home. Leaky gaskets are no better. A leaky TPR valve can be dangerous and cause an explosion.

With regular water heater maintenance, all of these problems can be avoided. Call MN Plumbing & Home Services to schedule water heater maintenance for your Twin Cities home. We provide plumbing services to more than 800 customers each month. Call on us today (952)469-8341