Why Is The Water In My Home Not Warming Up?
No machine can run forever without being properly maintained. No one expects to drive a car for years on end without regular maintenance. The same is true of the human body, and major appliances such as a water heater. However, a water heater is a stationary item and the average person may not know when it is time to have the unit properly serviced by a trained professional. Here’s what to look for to decide if it’s time to have the unit serviced.
The most obvious sign a water heater needs servicing is a lack of hot water or insufficient duration of hot water. This usually indicates that some hardware parts in the water heater will need to be replaced. The parts are usually inexpensive and not very labor intensive for a professional to replace.
Water carries with it certain amount of particulates or even sediment which over time will build up in the water heater tank. If that sediment is not flushed out the heater may malfunction or overheat. A professional can make the diagnosis if the unit is repairable or not.
A wellness checkup of the water heater is helpful because one part that needs replacement from time to time is the anode rod. The anode rod is designed to corrode as the water is heated to prevent corrosion of the inner tank. However, if the rod is not replaced it will cause the interior of the water heater to rust and shorten the life span of the unit.
Again, it should be mentioned that despite the relative low cost of water heater parts, it takes both the troubleshooting skill to diagnose the problem and the ability to replace the faulty element. The water heater’s dip tube is a prime example. The actual replacement of the part is simple provided that the repairman has first removed the cold water pipe and opened up the guts of the heating element (which operates at 220 volts). It’s the prep work that often goes into the cost of the maintenance. Don’t be averse to spending some money to maintain the water heater. It will defer the more costly replacement & installation of a newer model until the current one has met or exceeded its average lifespan.
Is the water heater in your Modesto home acting up? Call the expert Modesto plumber at Knights Plumbing & Drain at 209-541-1717 and schedule a service call today!
