The water heater in your home has an important job. It needs to deliver hot water to your kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room for a variety of daily tasks, including cleaning, cooking, and personal hygiene. If your water heater stops working properly, it can be a major inconvenience, as it will be difficult to complete these chores without the hot water you need.
Fortunately, your water heater will likely give you some signs if it’s in danger of breaking down. In this article, we’ll share five of the most common signs with you, and explain how Stafford Mechanical Services can help. Keep reading to learn more!
5 Signs Your Water Heater Needs Repair
Usually, your water heater will not stop working without giving you some signs that something is wrong. Here are some common things you should look out for if you’re concerned your water heater isn’t working properly:
- Your water heater is making unusual noises. Like any other type of mechanical equipment, a water heater will make some noise during operation. However, there are some noises you should look out for. If your water heater is making popping or vibrating noises, this could be the result of sediment buildup in your tank. A humming sound might be the result of a loose heating element.
- You notice rust in your tap water. If you notice rust in your tap water, it could be the result of the pipes that move the water out of your tank rusting, or the tank itself rusting. While this can, unfortunately, mean you’ll need to replace your tank if you call at the first sign of rust, your contractor might be able to replace a component within the system called an anode rod, rather than the entire unit.
- Water is pooling near your water heater. If water is pooling near your water heater, this is usually due to one of two causes – a bad anode rod, or a crack in your tank. An anode rod can be replaced by your contractor, but unfortunately, a cracked tank likely will need to be replaced.
- Your water is not hot enough. If your water is not hot enough, or you run out of hot water quickly, this is likely due to sediment in your tank. Most water supplies contain minerals such as lime, and over time that can build up in your tank, causing the heating element to not function properly and there to be less space for the heated water within your tank.
- Your tap water has a foul odor. If you notice that the hot water coming from your faucets has an unpleasant odor, your tank likely needs to be cleaned and flushed. Additionally, there may be sediment buildup in your tank, or your anode rod may need to be replaced. Your contractor will be able to troubleshoot your system and get to the root cause of the odor.
How can Stafford Mechanical Services help me if I need water heater repair?
As we’ve explained, water heaters stop working properly for many reasons, which is why you need a professional to help. The experts at Stafford Mechanical Services will make sure you get the right repairs for your water heater so that you’ll have hot water readily available in your home quickly.
Keep in mind, that a water heater generally has a life expectancy of 10 years, and a leaking tank can cause thousands of dollars in damage, especially in a finished area. It is almost always less expensive in the long run to proactively replace an aging water heater. Fortunately, our skilled craftspeople can easily provide you with a new water heater installation.
To schedule an appointment, you may contact us via phone at (860) 684-9485. We look forward to helping you with all of your water heater needs.