5 Problems You Can Run Into With Your Water Heater
There may come a day when your water heater suddenly stops producing hot water, leaving you wondering what could be wrong with it. Here are some common problems that you could have with your hot water heater that will require a professional to repair or replace your water heater.
Leaking Inner Tank
A common problem with a water heater is when you find a puddle underneath your water heater. This means that the inner tank of the water heater is leaking, which there is no repair for. You'll likely need to get a whole new water tank in this situation. A plumber will help diagnose the problem with the inner tank if you discover that puddle on the floor.
Dirty Flame Sensor
The flame sensor's job is to tell the water heater that the flame is present and that gas can safely flow to the water heater. If the flame sensor is dirty, it won't be able to do its job and falsely indicate that the flame is not on. This can cause the water heater to shut down by turning off the gas, which will prevent the water from getting hot. Cleaning the flame sensor will be necessary to get the water heater up and running again.
Leaking Pressure Relief Valve
The purpose of the pressure relief valve is to open up and let water out of the tank if there is too much pressure inside it. It also works as a safety device to let out steam if the heating element does not turn off and continue to heat the water. Sometimes this valve can leak and cause water to spill out onto the floor, which will require that the valve be replaced
Bad Gas Valve
Is the gas valve not turning on when it should? This can be caused by several potential reasons, such as the temperature sensor being damaged. The gas valve may also be damaged and be simply not allowing gas to pass through to the water heater. No matter what the problem is, this part will need to be inspected so that it can be repaired or replaced.
Plugged Intake Screen
You may not realize that there is an intake screed at the bottom of the hot water heater. It is possible that debris has clogged the intake screen and not allowing air to get into the water heater. This will cause the flame to go out in the water heater and prevent it from relighting. A plumber can open up the intake section of the water heater to clean it out and get the air flowing again.
For more information about water heater repair or replacement, contact a local company, like KICKD Plumbing.