If you often face common issues with storage water heaters, this guide will clear all your doubts about the subject. Water heaters are the silent hard workers to provide hot water to the showers and faucets. These are must-have devices for the winter season.

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Sometimes, you go to the shower and expect hot water to come out, but you will get cold water droplets. This cold water indicates that the water heater is not working correctly. Another possibility can be the leakage of the hot water pipe or a valve for the hot water supply to be off. In either case, you will have to diagnose the problem.

Types of Water Heaters Based on Supply

The primary purpose of the heater is to supply hot water to the different stationary plumbing. Typical water heats work on gas or electricity supply. There is no technical difference between electric and gas heaters except for the energy source.

Storage water heaters consist of a storage tank and an isolating stainless steel jacket. So that the heat inside the tank does not flow to the outer environment; this heated water then travels to bathrooms, toilets, kitchens, and other washing areas of the home.

Common Issues with Storage Water Heaters

Like any other appliance, water heaters are also pronto failures. However, it isn’t easy to imagine the winter season without water heaters. Therefore, this article will explain the common issues with storage water heaters and their solutions.

No Hot Water

If your heater stops supplying hot water, you need to address some of the following reasons:

Your heater is not getting Supply (electricity or gas).
The limit switch has tripped.
Failed heating element.

How to Fix

If the heater runs on electricity, shut the input supply off from the distribution box or the control switch of the heater circuit.

Remove the upper access panel.
Remove the insulation and safety guards. Make sure you do not touch any wire or circuit.
A red reset button cuts off the Supply in the event of high temperature. It is typically located near the thermostat. Locate and press this reset button.
Now put the covers back on and turn on the supply. You may need to check all the heating elements if it does not work.

Inadequate Hot Water

If your water heater provides hot water but not enough for your demand, you should inspect the usage and heater size. Typically, domestic users do not anticipate the increase in demand when selecting the size of heaters. This practice affects the performance of the heater later on. Ultimately the heater does not supply the required water quantity.

Furthermore, the undersized units, when they begin to provide less hot water, their heating elements can get damaged. Resultantly, these heating elements need to be replaced. Moderately warm hot waters during the shower indicate a defective upper heating element, while fast-moving hot water indicates a faulty lower heating element.

Solution

If your water heater is undersized, you should do these practices to optimize its use:

Decrease the lengths of showers and install low-flow showerheads.
Disperse the washing activities and schedule them in different time slots of the day.
Replace the heater with a new one of enhanced capacity.

The water Temperature is Too High

Your water heater sends water with a temperature way higher than the standard hot water. In this case, you should check the settings of the thermostat. If the preset thermostat temperature value changes, the heater will provide hot or cold water, depending on the new settings.

How to Fix

Turn off the supply
Locate the thermostat after removing different covers without touching any wire or circuit.
Change the thermostat temperature limit using a flathead screwdriver.
Change the settings of the other thermostat such that both thermostats are set at the same temperature.
Now turn on the supply and notice the changes.

Water Leaks

Sometimes you see water puddling around the heater tank, indicating a water leakage. The water leakage may be due to the rusty tank or the leaking valves.

Solution:

Check the washers, O-rings, and valve seats and replace them if required.
If the tank is rusty and corroded, it may not be repaired. In this case, you should replace the tank.

Heater Tank Issues

The central element of a storage water heater is the storage tank. It keeps the water almost all the time. When the tank ages, its inner surface corrodes and gradually deteriorates. Moreover, the presence of sediments can also affect the tank. Problems related to heater tanks are listed below:

When the tank gets ages, it may start leaking water.
Coloured water comes out of the faucets and showerheads. This lousy water indicates the corrosion inside the tank.
Sometimes the tank makes noise because the water starts boiling due to the high temperature. Sediments at the bottom of the tank are the primary reason behind this.

Solution: solution to all these problems is to replace the tank.

Conclusion

Commoners should know the common issues with storage water heaters to keep the plumbing system in good condition. When the heater starts malfunctioning, the user should be able to diagnose the problem. The user should know when the heater does not provide hot water, inadequately hot water, or bad quality water.