How to know if water heater is bad? Knowing the answer is essential if you want to gather information during the maintenance days of the heater and other home appliances.
Well, that is a good move from you because we must have all knowledge about the machines that we have in our home.
That’s why we have listed a few most common problems related to a water heater. You won’t get disappointed by the quality of our work as we put a lot of effort into providing you with factual information. What is more of a blessing than authentic information these days!
Ways To Know If Water Heater Is Bad
This is the central part of our guide on knowing if the water heater is bad. Keep reading to find out some symptoms of malfunctioning water. Here’s how to know if water heater is bad:
#1. Hot water often says goodbye
It’s the most common and easy fix problem that every homeowner faces once in a lifetime. Running out of hot water during the chores is the most annoying thing during the low temperatures. But you can fix the issue quickly, as mentioned above. First of all, check the thermostat to see if it is set to an adequate temperature or not. Reset if necessary and then feed the water from any faucet and close it if the water is according to your desired limit. Then, go to the breaker box and look at the heater breaker.
Turn it on if it has tripped, causing the thermostat to set a low temperature. Also, flush the water out of the tank to increase efficiency and performance. Then you need to determine if the breaker keeps tripping due to the heater. Call a technician to check the wirings and connections, and he will solve the issue. Also, ensure that the dip tube, thermostat, T&P valve, and heating element are working in perfect condition. Hopefully, the hot water issue will now settle. If not, think about replacing the old unit with a new one.
#2. Water pool around the heater
All of you can guess that the heater is terrible if it leaks. But wait, you need to confirm that these parts are not behind any leakage. The connectors, screwing, inlet, and outlet pipes may haven’t been fixed correctly, and you need to fix them yourself or call a professional to help you. The T & P valve also releases water to relieve the pressure. But it’s time for a replacement if the leaking water has made a pool around your heater.
#3. Water pressure is low
Are you dealing with the low water pressure? It’s the sediment that builds up and then restricts water flow. It would help flush the heater first and then test the plumbing with the heater. It may also be a good idea to read about common causes of low water pressure.
#4. Inconsistent water temperature
Are you facing an issue of sudden rise and fall in the water temperature? We can feel your pain if your answer is yes. Nobody wants to play the game with hot and cold water during a busy life. The solution states resetting the thermostat and marking the set position to check if the issue persists. A defective thermostat changes the place itself, leaving you in trouble, and replacement is the only way out. Moreover, the problem can be caused by heating elements. Check the upper part if the water quickly cools down and the lower one if you are dealing with lukewarm water.
#5. Heater produces scary sounds
Are the sounds coming out of your heater making you scared? The main root of these disturbing sounds is the buildup of minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium. You must dispose of the water from the heater after cutting the power and waiting for water to lose heat. The water will take the minerals with itself, and you do not have to worry again. But it will be better to call a plumber if boiling sounds are arising from the heater as they are an indication of overheating and trapped pressure.
#6. Prolonged usage of the heater
Has your water heater completed a life of 10 or 15 years? It’s easy to determine that you need a new unit. But who bothers to remember the birthday of a water heater. But we have a solution. Locate a sticker on the top part of the heater and focus on the first alphabet and two numbers afterward. The alphabet could be anything between A and L. A stands for January, and the counts go on until L for December. In addition, the digits indicate the year of production, like 11 is for 2011. And that’s all.
#7. Rusty water
No one likes the rusty water coming out of the hot water faucets. Mainly when it contains terrible odors like rotten eggs and mud-like color; however, you can get rid of this situation by either raising the water heater temperature to 160 degrees for an hour or filling the heater tank with 30-33 ounces of bleach as it will kill the sulfur bacteria and remove rust. Try replacing the anode rod if any of these solutions won’t work.
It’s A Wrap!
We have done our best to design this guide so you’ve known how to know if water heater is bad. Your feedback will help us improve and add up good memories in our life. Check out this article to know whether you should replace your water heater before it fails.
Don’t hesitate to know these things too; read about how to clean water heater and how to remove scale from water heater.