The hot water heater in your home allows for your toasty warm showers in the winter and warm water to wash your hands. While a cold shower is great in the summer, no one wants it in the winter! Given this, when your hot water heater stops functioning properly or water is leaking from it, your first call should be to Irock Plumbing.
If there is water around your hot water heater, you can do the simple checks:
- Where is the water coming from?
- Lines into or out of the heater?
- Base of the heater?
- How old is your hot water heater?
- If gas, is the pilot light lit?
- If there are any questions, call Irock Plumbing!
If Your Tank is Cracked
If the water is leaking from the bottom or side of your tank, it means the tank is no longer viable. If your hot water heater is in or near a finished area, getting it swapped out quickly is critical to minimize the risk of serious water damage.
A cracked tank can be caused by age or sediment that builds up in the tank and corrodes the metal. In addition, if there is no pressure relief valve on your hot water heater, the excessive pressure can shorten the life of your heater.
There is no alternative to a cracked tank except getting a new heater. Irock Plumbing is the hot water specialist in Western New York!
Broken or Non-Functional Pressure Relief Valve
Your water heaters pressure relief valve is most often at the top of your hot water heater. This mechanism is what controls the pressure in your tank to ensure it does not crack (as stated above).
When deposits from the water clog the valve up, it no longer functions properly and can lead to water coming out. This piece can be changed without getting an entire new hot water heater. Call Irock Plumbing to come check and replace your valve!
Failing Gasket
For hot water heaters that use electricity to heat water, there are gaskets around the heating elements that can wear out. When this happens, water can leak out and that is the water you are seeing on or around your hot water heater. We highly recommend you call Irock Plumbing to get these gaskets replaced to give your heater additional life!
Loose Pipes
There are pipe leading into your hot water heater near the top: one brings in fresh water to be heated and the other carries the nice warm water to the faucet that has been turned on. If either of these pipes becomes loose at a connection, it can lead to water on or around your hot water heater.
You can try, if you are comfortable, to fix these connections on your own. If not, call Irock Plumbing for a quick fix of the situation!
Call the Experts at Irock!
The team of professionals at Irock Plumbing are ready to help with any of your hot water issues. From repairing a unit to installing a new efficient heater with a tank to going all the way to the most efficient tankless hot water heater, Irock Plumbing has you covered! Call us at 585-571-7399.
