Could Your Water Heater Be Failing? Here's How To Tell
ShareA water heating unit plays a crucial role in ensuring that your home has a constant hot water supply. While it may run effectively for a long time, there will come a time when it may fail to operate efficiently. When the system shows signs of failure, it's advisable to seek the services of an experienced plumbing professional. But, what things indicate your heater could be failing? Learn about the common indicators to watch out for in this guide.
There's Discolored Water Coming From the Unit
When you notice discolored water coming from your pipes, it's an indicator your unit could be failing. This could be brought about by heavy corrosion on your heater tanks due to old age. You can slow the corrosion rate by coating them, but this is a temporary solution. With this remedy, the rust might recur when the coat starts thinning out. A heating expert's thorough inspection of the unit will determine whether your unit should be flushed or you probably need to get new anode rods to provide a permanent solution.
The Water Smells or Tastes Weird
Something is crucially wrong the moment you notice that your water starts to develop a strange smell or taste. You'll notice a rotten egg smell in most cases, and the water will have a metallic taste. This odor and taste mostly arise when you have old plumbing fixtures. Besides that, it's a possible scenario if the anode rod interacts with anaerobic bacteria. Professional cleaning of the unit by an experienced technician as well as replacing the anode rod can help solve your problem.
There's a Noticeable Sign of a Leak
If you have water pooling at the bottom of your heating appliance, then this could mean that the pipe is probably leaking. An experienced plumber can easily resolve this problem by ensuring that the connections around your appliance water tank are tight and have the correct water pressure. Leaks can also signify that your unit is severely corroded and needs replacing.
The Water Pressure in Your Tank Has Reduced
When you notice some changes in your tank's water pressure, your plumbing fixture or the water tank could be filled with sediments. Though low water pressure isn't a severe problem, it is not a good sign. Over time, the sedimentation will worsen, and this means that you'll have no hot water. To resolve your problem, call a plumber to flush the sediments and address other issues that are probably affecting water pressure.
The last thing you want is your water heating appliance to fail during the cold season. So if you're concerned about the effectiveness of your unit, watch out for the few warning signs highlighted above.
To learn more about heating repair, talk to a company like Merrimack Valley Plumbing LLC.