A water heater is an appliance for all seasons. Even in the midst of a summer heat wave, you still need to have the water heater working away steadily to provide your house with heated water.
However, winter is probably when you’ll be giving your water heater the most consideration, and during the fall it’s wise to keep a sharp lookout for any indications that the water heater is suffering from malfunctions. Even a small issue with a water heater can rapidly balloon into a complete system shutdown—and that’s most likely to happen on one of the coldest days of the winter! Below we’ve listed a few of the early indications that your water heater is running into trouble that’ll require professional repairs before the situation worsens.
ONE: Rumbling from the Tank
Don’t panic about the tank bursting: this is highly uncommon. But you should be concerned about the tank overheating, which can lead to leaks and other damage. This rumbling may also mean that cold water is mixing near the top of the tank with the hot water, possibly from a broken dip tube, which is a common malfunction.
TWO: Discoloration in the Hot Water
A reddish tint to the hot water can point to a number of issues, such as breaks in the hot water lines to excessive sediment in the tank that will require professionals flush it.
THREE: Water around the Base of the System
You shouldn’t see any water pooling around the tank of your water heater. This means leaks are occurring somewhere, and you must have professionals on the job right away to find and seal them.
FOUR: Decline in Hot Water Volume
Are you not getting as much hot water as you used to? This could be an issue with the burners, the heat exchanger, or the sediment build-up on the bottom of the tank.
As soon as you detect any of these warning signs, call on our water heater repair experts. We are here 24 hours a day to provide help when you need it.
Mallick Plumbing & Heating is the Service Contractor of Choice for Gaithersburg, MD.