When You Need Water Heater Repair…
Your water heater is something that stays out of your sight most days. It’s tucked away in the utility room or outside. It’s not something that comes to mind very often. As long as the water heater is doing its job, you don’t usually think about it. However, it might come to the top of your mind when it starts giving you trouble. Water heaters require service on occasion and maintaining them will help you get a smooth function from them in an efficient manner. Water heaters can be hard to manage when repairs come around. After all, they deal with both water and electricity or gas, which can be a dangerous mixture.
Water Heater Types
There are two main types of water heaters: gas and electric. If your water heater isn’t operating and you have a gas type, you could check to see if the pilot light has gone out. If so, re-ignite it and it could solve your hot water problem. In electric water heaters, if the hot water comes out very hot, but only for a little while, check the thermostat setting. You can adjust it to a higher temperature, which can ease this issue. However, don’t raise it too high and risk burns.
Calling a Plumber for Urgent Repairs
Working on water heater repairs on your own is very risky, especially if you don’t really know what you are doing. If you have a gas water heater and you smell gas in your home or around the utility room, that’s an emergency situation and you should leave the home and get help right away. Ignoring this problem is downright dangerous. If you have an electric water heater and you see water on the floor around it, you need a plumber right away as well. That could be a grave situation for your property or your family members.
Less Urgent, but Still Important Needs
Not all water heater repairs are dire or dangerous, but there are still plenty of issues that can arise. If you notice that your water smells bad or is darker in color than it should be, there could be a rusty buildup inside your water heater. It might need to be flushed out or you might have to have the tank replaced. When you go to the utility room and hear loud noises coming from the heater, mineral deposits could be falling to the bottom of the tank and you need repairs. If you see a leak in the tank, the equipment will likely need to be replaced.
Getting Water Heater Repairs
While you don’t like to (and usually don’t bother to) think about your water heater, when it doesn’t work properly, your cold showers will cause you to think about it way more than you ever have before. Contact Stephens Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning at the first sign of trouble and fend off major issues. If you find yourself in an emergency water heater situation, call us for help immediately and we’ll be there ASAP.