Water Heater Giving You Problems? What You Can Do

If your water heater is not providing you with hot water, or not enough hot water, you need to take care of this soon. You need hot water for a lot of different things, such as showering, bathing, washing dishes, doing laundry, or just simply washing your hands. If you don't have hot water, you need to have your water heater repaired or replaced. Hiring a plumber to help you with these things is what you should do, but if you're handy, you may be able to attempt a repair on your own. Read on for tips to help you get your hot water heater working properly.

Check The Gas Line

You should check the gas line to be sure you don't have any leaks. You can use bubble soap to check for leaks. If you have a leak, you need to call a professional out to repair the gas line and to have the gas in your home turned off to prevent injury. If you don't have a leak, check to be sure it's turned on. If there is not a problem with the gas line, you need to inspect your water heater further.

Adjust The Temperature

Adjust the temperature on the thermostat of your water heater to make it hotter to see if this helps. If your water heater was adjusted too low, you may not be getting hot enough water. Try making an adjustment to the thermostat. Check your water to see if it's getting hotter or lasting longer. If this didn't do anything for you, you need to move on.

Drain Your Unit

Turn off the power and the gas to your system, then attach a hose to drain the water from your water heater. The water inside will be very hot, so you have to be careful where you drain it and that you don't touch it to prevent injury. Drain the entire unit, and then clean out the bottom of the water heater, which may contain too much calcium and mineral buildup that it is blocking the heating element responsible for heating your water in the tank. If this is too full, you won't get enough heat to heat up your water. Use a shop vacuum to remove the mineral buildup.

If your water heater isn't working properly, there are a few things you can do. If you continue to have an issue with your water heater, hire a plumber to repair or replace your water heater for you.