A Cold Shower Is Never Pleasant: Call A Water Heater Repair Expert | Irving, TX
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The warm shower. Ahhh. What a lovely way to wake up or wash off the grime after doing a dirty job. But what if your shower doesn’t produce hot water? Or not enough of it? Anticipation turns into cold disappointment. What if a scalding stream of overheated water hits you? If you live in Irving, TX, we’re the professionals who can handle your serious water heater repair work.
When your water heater fails to produce any hot water on demand or too much, mechanical failure is to blame. For gas water heaters, your repair professional may need to relight the pilot light. Electric water heaters may include replacing elements that have become damaged or disconnected. But if the damage is extensive, the water heater will have to be replaced.
And then there’s the frustration of receiving hot water that quickly turns cold. Low hot water pressure is caused by sediment buildup blocking the heating elements. This problem may also be caused by plumbing problems.
Water Heater Repair Work
You may hear on occasion some strange popping noises. When you do, it’s time for the repair work to begin. There’s a buildup of thick, hard sediment on top of the heating elements. This reduces heating efficiency, making a leak much more likely to happen soon.
Here are some other problems you’re likely to run into with your water heater. Hissing sounds indicate a leak. Water leaks could be caused by a faulty relief valve, a plumbing connection, or rust in the tank itself. If they’re minor, leaks can be patched, but large leaks mean it’s time to buy a new water heater. Smelly water? Pipe corrosion and bacterial buildup can cause that awful rotten egg smell. Flushing may solve the problem.
Leave Water Heater Repair Work to the Professionals
You may have studied your water heater owner’s manual. And, you may have watched home repair videos. But don’t try to engage in water heater repair work yourself. Only a trained professional has the hundreds of hours of instruction and experience to handle the temperamental tendencies of the average water heater.
Repairing it yourself could lead to serious injury. Applying the wrong solution to a misdiagnosed problem could lead to disaster. Water that overboils in the tank could cause severe burns to an unsuspecting amateur. Poorly executed water heater repair work risks severe damage to other household appliances.
Professionals know how to diagnose which parts of this complex piece of machinery are ailing and how to repair them. They have the specialized tools and know-how to engage in effective diagnosis and repair work. They are required to undergo industrial and on-the-job training before going solo.
Water heater repair specialists are required to know how to take a water heater apart to find out what’s gone wrong without damaging the machine. And then they must be able to put it back together again. This takes real skill. It means making a series of precise moves executed in sequence to get the job done right.
When water heater repair specialists face a difficult problem they can’t solve themselves, they can contact colleagues with even more specialized training in the model being worked on and receive advice. They follow well-learned safety procedures on turning off the water and other utilities in the house to prepare for the draining of the tank. In each case, they do exactly what needs to be done while engaging in repair work.
Water Heaters Are Complex Machines
Standard insulated tanks hold 20 to 80 gallons of water. Pipes deliver water to the bottom of the tank. Pipes deliver water to the rest of the house from the top of the tank on demand. The pressure and temperature relief valve provides automated protection of the water heater. A control circuit for immersion heating elements and a manual reset switch also play vital roles. The upper thermostat controls the temperature of the water, triggering the pipes to refill the tank after hot water is used in any part of the house. The upper immersion element heats the upper part of the tank. The lower thermostat triggers the lower immersion element to begin its work when the upper element is done.
Most repair work is simple–replacing a part, draining sediment–but at other times, the repair work is more extensive. A water heater repair professional will do what it takes to determine the cause of the problem. For instance, checking the pilot, the thermocouple, and the gas control valve on a gas water heater. Or the thermostats and the temperature settings in the heating elements on an electrical model. The professional will also be on the lookout for sediment in the tank and a damaged or disconnected dip tube.
Water Heater Maintenance Tips for Homeowners
You can play your part in maintaining your water heater. Test the relief valve regularly. If you keep a bucket underneath it, you’ll know there’s a problem when you find water there. Flush your water heater once or twice a year to prevent buildup and major repair costs.
Water heaters don’t last forever. You should replace yours at regularly scheduled intervals, roughly every 8-12 years, depending on the model and the amount of wear and tear. If you notice any problems, don’t let them slide. Just one apparent minor problem with your water heater could wind up being a major one, severely damaging your home.
Please Contact Us
When you find something has gone wrong with your water heater, call us at Tioga Plumbing & Electric in Irving, TX immediately to set up a service call. Have your model number and serial number handy so that we can immediately begin to assess the situation. We’ll find all the appropriate information on your model. This will allow our professionals to have the parts ready for any needed water heater repair work at your home.