Speak To A Water Heater Pro 24/7 At (925) 255-5790
In our over 58 years of installing water heaters in Pleasanton, CA, we have come across many different situations in regards to the water heaters in this lovely city. Although most of the time when we go out to a job the customer is experiencing one of three things, they have a leaking water heater, they don’t have any hot water, or they do not have enough hot water. In this blog post, we are going to talk about each one of these problems and give you an idea of whether or not the problem you are experiencing is fixable or if a replacement is necessary.
Help! My Water Heater Is Leaking.
When you notice that your water heater is leaking, it is important to know where the water heater is leaking from. If it is leaking from the top, it could be that a pipe needs to be re-soldered or a part needs to be tightened. However, if your water heater is leaking from the bottom of the tank most likely your water heater will need to be replaced because the inner tank has failed.
In the case of a leaking water heater, the best thing to do is to start by turning off your water heater to stop the leak. Read the instructions below or watch our video on our Youtube channel where one of our top technicians shows you how to turn off your water heater.
1. Turn Off The Gas Or Electricity:
Gas: Turn the gas control dial to the “off” position to turn the thermostat off. This will turn off the gas feed to the water heater. If you notice the smell of natural gas or propane, leave immediately and contact the gas company.
Electric: Turn off the breaker for your water heater, or if your leaking water heater has a disconnect switch; you could simply switch that to the off position.
2. TURN OFF THE WATER SUPPLY:
Locate the water heater’s cold side water line (right-hand side) and follow it back to the wall. Here you should see the water shut-off valve.
There are two main types of valves.
Gate Valve: If you have an older style turn faucet handle, twist it clockwise until it comes to a complete stop. Now the water flow is cut off from your water heater
Ball Valve: Pull or push the handle a quarter turn if you have a newer lever-style ball valve. Now that your water heater has been shut off you can now take part in this next optional step!
3. DRAINING THE WATER HEATER:
(optional) Connect a regular garden hose to the bottom drain valve on the water heater to drain it if necessary to avoid any damage.
Run the other end of the garden hose to a lower area where hot or rusty water won’t harm anything ie, driveway or storm drains (hot water can kill grass and plants).
Open the hot side faucet in the sink closest to the water heater, which will break the vacuum seal and allow the water to evacuate.
Drain the water heater for about 10 to 30 minutes.
For extra help with your water heater, call us to talk with a water heater professional. We can arrange for a professional to come out and repair, drain or replace your water heater.
We are available 24/7 to answer your questions and schedule your water heater appointment.
Gosh Darn! I Have No Hot Water!
In our over 58 years of water heater replacement service, we’ve discovered that if you turn on your faucet to wash your hands and there’s no hot water, your pilot has probably gone out. Because newer styles of water heaters are “sealed,” the pilot is more difficult to keep lit and more sensitive to airflow.
If you’re not sure whether your water heater is sealed, you can tell by how you light your pilot. If you have to use a match to light the pilot, you have an older water heater; if you have to click a button, you have a newer sealed water heater. If you’re still having trouble lighting your pilot after reading your water heater’s instructions your water heater most likely just has a broken burner assembly and that is a part that can be easily replaced. However, if your water heater is over 10 years old, we recommend replacing the water heater.
If you are having problems with lighting your water heater, give us a call. We can walk you through the process of lighting your pilot as well as schedule a licensed water heater technician to come out to your home to assess the situation.
There Is Never Enough Hot Water!
If you’re running out of hot water or the water isn’t getting hot enough, your water heater may be beginning to fail due to the accumulation of sediment or a faulty part.
Sediment
As a sediment test, drain your water heater and look for any debris or small rocky-like materials in the water. If it does, your water heater is beginning to accumulate sediment, preventing it from fully heating up. Another sign of sediment buildup is rumbling or knocking sounds coming from the water heater as it gets hot. This indicates that the silt in the tank has hardened, and draining the water heater will not help at this point. You may need to have the water heater professionally drained or replaced to resolve this issue.
Faulty or Malfunctioning Component
If you have a newer water heater and notice that the water isn’t getting as hot as it used to, and you’ve double-checked that no one else in the house has changed the thermostat, you may have a faulty component. Depending on the age of your water heater, replacement parts may be covered under warranty. We can verify the age and inform you if your parts are covered under warranty if you can locate the model number and serial number on your water heater before calling. If it’s still under warranty, we’ll try to warranty replace a part or point you in the right direction for one.
Whenever you are having water heater problems it is always important to seek counsel from a licensed and insured water heater company. This is because a licensed installer knows about all of the local plumbing codes, so not only will the job be done right but it will be brought up to code so when it comes time to have your home inspected your home will pass with flying colors.
Still Have Questions About Your Water Heater? Fill Out The Form Below!
"*" indicates required fields
See What Our Customers Have To Say About Us!
