Murphy’s Law says that when something goes wrong, it will do so at the worst possible time. This is true for your water heater, too. When you’re in the middle of washing the shampoo out of your hair, or when it’s colder than it’s been all week, or you have a sink full of dishes, that’s when your water heater starts acting up.
But if you can recognize the signs, you may be able to fix the problem with your water heater before you stuck in any of Murphy’s situations. Here are 5 common signs that there is something wrong with your water heater and you need to fix it fastly.
When Your Water Heater Needs Fixing – 5 Things That Tell You it Needs Help
1. Spiking water or electricity bills. For the most part, we know what to expect monthly in our utility bills, but if yours has seen a sudden dramatic increase and you don’t know why, check your water heater.
Your toilet and faucets aren’t the only plumbing fixtures that can leak, and if your hot water heater is leaking, often the first sign you may notice is in the increased utility bills. This spike happens because the leak causes your water heater to use more energy to heat what water is there, and obviously that same leak increases your water usage.
2. Muddy colored hot water comes out. It’s not always easy to pinpoint the source of discolored water, but if it’s only happening when you use your hot water, it’s probably from your water heater.
Brown or rusty-colored water is likely caused by rust and sediment in your water heater. You will need to call a professional to try to fix the problem or see if your water heater needs replacing.
3. Your pilot light goes out. Your pilot light in your water heater is similar to one on a gas stove. It’s a small flame that starts the gas burner so that your water heats up. If it doesn’t relight, or if it lights up but then goes out, you may have to replace the thermocouple or another part.
While you can do this yourself if you are handy with plumbing, it’s an easy fix for a plumber. For quick hot water, Canberra and other trained professionals can install or replace gas and electric water heaters.
4. Your water tastes metallic. Your water is softened from the taste of metals by many processes. However, when you start tasting metal anyway, your softener could be lowering your pH level too much or your hot water heater may need to be flushed.
5. You hear noises from your water heater. When you hear cracking and popping coming from your water heater, it is probably from the gas burner that is heating the water underneath the sediment. However, too much noise may indicate a build-up of sediment.
Make it an Easy Fix by Catching it Early
In most cases, unless your water heater is old, problems caught early enough can be an easy fix. However, if you let them go, chances are you’ll notice them at the most inopportune of times, and they’ll be more expensive to fix with an emergency service call and possibly increased damage.
Instead of waiting, pay attention to the little signs that may be telling you it’s time to call in an expert.