Your mornings start with a warm shower that rejuvenates you and gets you ready to face a new day at work. Only today you are disappointed and maybe even upset since there is no hot water coming out from your shower. Considered as one of the basic amenities of life, hot water is a must in every house or apartment. Absence of hot water can halt many day-to-day activities. What can you do when you are shivering as cold-water spills on you? How can you fix the problem of hot water being broken in your residence? Here are some things that will help.
Learn To Identify The Problem
The most common problems that can occur resulting in hot water malfunction that calls for hot water repair are listed below-
- The heater is off – The pilot light on the water heater will turn on when it is functioning. In case, if the light is not on, checking the instruction manual on how to get it back on depending on the model, you should help fix the problem.
- Gas leaks – Heaters that run on gas may malfunction when there is a gas leak. Thus, calling for hot water repair. This can be dangerous and needs to be fixed immediately by a professional. To ensure that it is definitely a gas leak that is causing the issue you may check for the presence of rotten egg smell around the water heater asking for hot water repair.
- The buildup of sediment – This can happen due to deposits of contaminants which settle at the bottom of the water heater. At times, the tank can become rusty and may need a change of the heater itself. You can prevent such a buildup of sediments in two ways. First, try to soften the water by adding water softening agents. Secondly, adjust the temperature of the heater and set it to 130 degrees. Thus, it can damage the system and call for hot water repair.
- Broken heating element – One of the most important parts in the water heater is the heating element. At times, you may have hot water but not hot enough to suit your needs. This may indicate a broken or malfunctioning heating element. Simply replacing it will resolve the issue.
- Problems with the thermostat – Some water heaters have a setting to adjust the temperature of the water using a knob. This change is facilitated by a built-in thermostat inside the water heater. The thermostat may not function optimally giving out water that is less hot or in certain cases give out cold water altogether. Such a problem can be fixed by calling for hot water repair service or by replacing the thermostat.
- Busted dip tube – It connects the cold water to the tank of the water heater. If it breaks, cold water will accumulate at the top of the tank and not reach the bottom where it is heated and expelled through an exit pipe. This exit pipe is also located at the top of the water heaters tank resulting in cold water being poured out of the pipe through which normally hot water should come. To fix the broken dip tube, a professional plumber is required.
Prevention
The abovementioned problems causing hot water issues can easily be prevented by periodic checks of the heater and plumbing. Also, while you install plumbing in your house, it is always best to use materials that are of standard quality and not using cheap goods which can result in serious issues later.
Conclusion
Plumbing needs to last long and the only way this can be done is by getting it right in the first place. Have a good plumber or a company that provides such hot water repair service at your disposal always. Perform periodic inspections; these won’t cost you much when compared to the enormous cost of fixing plumbing emergencies.