What’s Wrong with My Water Heater? | Insight from Your Trusted Short Pump, VA Water Heater Repair Expert

9/30/2020

Photo By Ildar Abulkhanov at istock

As a homeowner, you expect to have hot water every morning when you go to take a shower and every other time you need it. Unfortunately, that’s not going to be the case if you don’t take good care of your water heater. Just like all the other things in your Short Pump, VA, home, your water heater has a lifespan which is affected by how well you take care of it. If you think you might be in the market for water heater repair or a new water heater, here’s what you need to know about water heater problems.

Heating Elements

There aren’t a ton of parts in your water heater, and the heating elements are among the most important. If you’re getting water from your water heater but it simply isn’t hot, there’s a good chance you need new heating elements. The good news about this problem is that a water heater repair company can replace heating elements fairly easily.

One important thing to remember is that there are two heating elements in a water heater. If you’re planning on spending the money it costs to replace one heating element, make sure you know the cost of each part so you know what it will cost if you have to replace both elements. Regardless, having a plumbing company replace your heating elements is less expensive than replacing an entire water heater.

Thermostat

In order to deliver hot water to your Short Pump, VA, home, your water heater has to use a thermostat to make sure the temperature of the water is right. Not only is it important to keep the water from being too hot, your hot water has to be at least a certain temperature to prevent bacterial growth. If your thermostat is malfunctioning, however, you’re not going to get the temperatures you’d expect from your water heater.

A water heater repair expert can fairly easily determine whether it’s your thermostat, a heating element or something else causing a lack of hot water. If the problem is as simple as a thermostat, you can get it replaced in no time at all so you can have your water heater back up and running. If you do get a new thermostat installed, make sure you have your water heater repair expert set the thermostat to the optimal temperature for preventing bacterial growth, keeping you comfortable and saving you money on your power bill.

Anode

Corrosion is one of the biggest problems when it comes to your water heater, which is why water heaters have sacrificial anodes built in to absorb the corrosion. However, these anodes go bad over time and eventually have to be replaced; if they’re not replaced on time, it will lead to premature corrosion of the water heater tank.

At the very least, you should have a water heater repair company take a look at your sacrificial anode once every year or two. The longer you let a bad anode sit in your water heater, the more damage it’s going to cause and the shorter the lifespan of your water heater will be.

Some homes have hard water, which means there are more minerals in the water than there typically are. This is a big problem when it comes to things like your water heater and appliances like dishwashers and washing machines. The harder your water is, the quicker it will cause metal to corrode. If you’ve got hard water, you should have your water heater looked at once every year or so.

Corrosion

While your sacrificial anode rod is designed to absorb corrosion and prevent major problems with your water heater, that only works if you replace it on time. If your anode is shot and your water heater tank has been taking the majority of the corrosion, there’s a good chance it’s past the point of no return.

Most of the parts on your water heater can be serviced or replaced, but a plumber can’t do much to fix a badly corroded tank. While there are situations where a hole in a water heater can be patched, that’s still a temporary fix. Plus, that only works if you have light corrosion that hasn’t caused too much structural damage. If your water heater tank is badly corroded, it’s best to have it replaced instead of opting for water heater repair.

Age

You might not have thought much about how long your water heater is supposed to last, but they aren’t built to last forever. As a matter of fact, most water heaters last between 10 and 15 years, which means it’s important to keep an eye on yours. If you haven’t replaced the water heater in your home in a decade or two, now might be the time to do it.

The older a water heater gets, the more likely you are to have to spend money on water heater repair. At a certain point, problems like tank corrosion can make it so your water heater is essentially irreparable. While it might seem like a lot of money to spend, the best thing you can do is simply have a water heater repair company replace your water heater every 10 or 15 years.

Give Us a Call

There’s nothing worse than cranking the hot water on only to realize your water heater isn’t working. Fortunately, a quick call to a plumber makes it easy to get your hot water running again so you can enjoy a warm shower or a thorough hand washing.

If you’re having trouble with the water heater in your Short Pump, VA, home, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of Richmond can help. From minor leaks and fixture problems to plumbing emergencies and water heater repair, we can do it all. If you want to make dealing with plumbing problems simple, just give bluefrog Plumbing + Drain a call at (804) 930-8762.