Questions, Answers, and Everything Else About Plumbing

A water heater is one of the most regularly used plumbing fixtures in a household, but it can also be the most neglected fixture until a problem arises. For example, water heaters are used for most fixtures involving the use of hot water in a home, such as taking hot showers and washing dishes. It usually is not until someone in the household notices that water is not getting as hot as usual that the condition of the water heater comes to mind. If there have been changes to the ability to access hot water in your home, a plumber might need to be hired in case a repair is necessary. The extent of the repair depends on the age of your water heater and the types of problems the fixture is causing in your home.

1. Electrical & Gas Problems

A common reason for a water heater to experience a change in how well water is heated is if the electrical components to fail. For example, if you have an electric water heater, the heating element of the fixture might be damaged. If you have a gas water heater, a lack of electricity can be the culprit behind the problems in your home. Sometimes a tripped circuit breaker is what causes a water heater to stop functioning, which is easy to fix by turning the breaker on. Keep in mind that there could also be something wrong with the gas line that is attached to your water heater if you have a model that runs on gas.

2. An Accumulation of Sediment

If the water in your home sporadically changes from being hot, warm, or cold, the problem might be found within the water heater tank. It is possible that sediment has built up inside the water heater tank as the years have gone by. What sediment does is make it difficult for the burner in the fixture to heat the water up. You might need to hire a plumber to clear the sediment out of your water heater tank so your household can have access to an ample supply of hot water.

3. Multiple Parts Are Old

In the worst-case scenario, you might need a new water heater for your home. If a plumber determines that your water heater has multiple parts that are old and damaged, the wisest way to resolve the problem might be to get rid of the water heater altogether. Rather than getting multiple parts repaired on an old water heater that might experience other problems, a new fixture will give you the peace of mind that there will not be any problems for a long time. 

For more info, contact a company like PRATT PLUMBING HEATING & COOLING.