A water heater is one of those things that many people know absolutely nothing about. In fact, some people actually buy a water heater without knowing anything about it. A heater can be a costly item, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to keep it working properly. With a little bit of maintenance, it shouldn’t cost you much.
Water heater repair doesn’t have to be complicated, nor does it have to cost a lot of money. If you have one, there are several things you can do to make sure it lasts a long time and doesn’t have to be replaced as often. The average life for a water heater with no problems is ten to twelve years, so maintaining the heater will greatly affect its longevity. Some basic maintenance such as regular flushing the tank less than once a year, checking the anode to see if it’s plugged, and occasionally replacing it on the anode with a new one will greatly extend its life expectancy. Of course, these basic repairs won’t necessarily keep the water heater in good shape, so when you get a water heater repair done, plumbers might replace it with a brand new unit.
One common problem for water heaters is that they often have leaks. This is something you should look into when you get a water heater repair. You can either check to see if there is a leak or get a professional to check for leaks. Often, a leaky heater will be very obvious, but you can always expect a professional to see things like small cracks and crevices. If you have a leaky heater, there are a few things you can do.
Most people choose to fix their water heater repair to buy a new one. While this might be an option, it isn’t something you want to do if you’re not sure of what you’re doing. For one thing, it can cost a lot of money, so unless you know what you’re doing, you might damage your new heating unit instead of fixing it. A better option might be to hire a plumber to fix your water heater issues.
If the water heater itself stops working, you should take action before the problem worsens. One of the most common problems you’ll hear about with this type of heater is that the heating element isn’t turning on. First, you need to have the heating element turned on before checking other parts for this issue. Most homeowner notices will tell you that the heating element needs to be on for at least a half-hour. If you don’t have the homeowner notices or you don’t hear any noise when the heating element is turned on, then the first thing you need to check is the anode.
One of the biggest water heater repair mistakes homeowners make is trying to fix the problem themselves instead of calling a professional to do it. If you’re trying to fix the problem yourself and end up causing more damage to your heater, you’ll probably be spending more money than you would have to spend to replace the unit. Instead of trying to repair the unit yourself, you should replace it with a new one. Homeowner notices will usually let you know which models are best suited for replacement. In fact, some models might even be labeled to state that they’re the right size for replacement. That’s why it’s a good idea always to have one of these homeowner notices handy.
If the tank of your water heater leaks, you’re probably going to need water heater repairs because it’s likely that you will cause more damage to the unit if you keep drinking from the contaminated tank. If you turn off the water heater and wait a few hours, most sediment in the tank will settle to the bottom and settle in the filter. If this sediment doesn’t get trapped by the filter, then it will eventually come out through the faucets and the plumbing.
It’s not a good idea to try to repair the problem on your own unless you’re an experienced water heater repair technician. Although it’s usually possible to find the parts and tools you need to perform repairs, it’s probably not a good idea to try and fix the problem yourself. Damage to your unit, if severe, could require that you replace the whole unit instead of just having repairs made to it. And unless you’re an experienced technician, attempting to make repairs to your unit without experience can lead to further damage that you’ll need to pay even more money to fix. If you’re not sure how to complete these repairs, you should definitely call a professional plumber to take care of the job for you. There’s no reason to waste your time or money on something that you should have been able to do yourself.