Reason why your water heater not working
Let’s talk about some common problems why your water heater not working.
No one wants to step into a shower on a cold winter morning and find out that there is no hot water and water heater not working or isn’t working properly. Some water heater problems can cause the tank to fully stop working while others can cause it to heat for a few minutes and then turn off. In this article we will talk about the most common water heater problems.
Pilot light is off – Checking if your pilot light is on is not that difficult. Refer to the water heater manual for instruction where to find the pilot light and relight it if it off. If the pilot light is not relighting or goes out right away there can be an issue with your thermocouple, gas supply or gas control valve. Most likely you will need to contact an expert to troubleshoot why water heater not working.
Breaker tripped – If you have an electric water heater and it’s not producing hot water then it can be as simple as a tripped breaker. Go to your electrical panel and flip circuit breaker off and on to reset it. If your water heater not working still then you may need to reset the ECO switch which is the water heater’s high temperature cut-off.
Gas line leak – If you smell natural gas near your water heater which will smell like a rotten egg due to the chemical added to the natural gas so that the leak can be detected, you may have a leak on the gas line leading to the water heater. Gas leaks can be very dangerous so you need to call your gas utility or a professional immediately.
Thermostat needs adjustment – If your water heater is not bringing water to the desired hot temperature the simple solution might be adjusting the thermostat settings on your water heater. You simply may need to raise the temperature, however if the temperature is already set to the HOT or HIGH settings then the thermostat itself may have failed and need to be replaced.
Sediment – Sediment is normally built up at the bottom of your tank overtime causing your water heater to operate improperly. You can eliminate sediment built up by regularly draining and flushing your water tank. Using de-liming products or vinegar to remove scale built up will prevent from sediment built up over time. However if your tank rusted inside you will need to replace it to prevent any water leakage and flooding of your basement.
Heating element or dip tube need to be replaced – Water heater’s heating element may need to be replaced if you are not getting enough hot water or you water heating is not heating up very much and only produces lukewarm water. Also if you are getting lukewarm water in your tubs the problem can be a damaged dip tube which is a plastic tube that directs cold water to the bottom of the tank. Damaged dip tube can cause cold water to leak into hot water that is coming out of your tank.
If your water heater not working properly or not producing enough hot water, refer to these possible issues and contact an expert to have issues fixed. Call Demark Home Ontario at 647-847-2998 or submit your request online.