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Learn a few tips in troubleshooting a water heater here.
Water heaters are usually reliable appliances, but they are ultimately machines and will break down at one point or another. And while they are quite expensive to buy, simple repairs are not. In fact, troubleshooting a water heater can be done at home. Simple problems can be fixed easily DIY.
Troubleshooting a Water Heater
Here are some of our tips in troubleshooting a water heater.
- No Hot Water
- Check if the pilot light is on. If it is not, you can try to relight it. If that does not help, or if you do not know how, call for a gas safe registered engineer.
- Check if the gas line is on. Also check your gas meter or gas tank to make sure you have enough gas to operate your appliances.
- Leaking
- Check for cracks. Internal cracks usually means you water heater needs to be replaced.
- If the leak is coming from the top of the water heater, a fitting or plumbing part may have malfunctioned and need to be repaired.
- Pilot will not light
- Check to make sure the gas line is turned on.
- It is possible that there is air in the gas line. You can hold the pilot button down and try to relight it.
- Check if the vents are clogged. You can remove the vents to clean them.
- If the gas control valve is defective, it will need to be replaced.
- Pilot light will not stay lit
- Check the thermocouple. The thermocouple probe’s tip must be in the pilot flamr and it must be tight at the gas control valve. Replace the thermocouple as needed.
- Check the gas control valve. If it is defective, it needs to be replaced.
- Pilot light keeps going out
- Check the thermocouple and replace as needed.
- Check and clean the vents.
- Check if the main burner is clogged. Remove and clean as needed.
- If the gas control valve is broken, replace it right away.
- Water too hot
- Check the thermostat. If it is set too high, adjust the temperature.
- If the gas control valve is defective, it will need to be replaced.
- Not enough hot water
- Check the thermostat setting and adjust accordingly.
- Check your hot water usage. Only 50% of the water volume is really hot, and around 20% is warm. Its easy to use up all the hot water without realizing it.
- Make sure your water heater is the right size for your home and your usage,
- If the thermostat is not functioning properly, the gas control valve needs to be replaced.
- Remove and clean the vents as needed.
- Check the water heater dip tube for cracks.
- Also check your gas pressure. If you have low gas pressure, call you gas supplier.
- Slow when reheating
- Check the thermostat setting and adjust accordingly.
- If you water heater tank has accumulated a lot of sediment, it will need to be drained, flushed and cleaned.
- Cold weather can also affect the performance of your water heater.
- If you have low gas pressure, call you gas supplier.
- Noisy
- Sediment that have accumulated at the bottom of the tank can cause noise. Clean the tank as needed.
