If your water is hot, but not quite hot enough, you may put off getting the problem addressed. After all, it’s not like your hot water tank is completely broken. You do have hot water. It’s just not as hot as you would like it to be.
But you don’t have to settle for taking shorter showers and washing your dishes with lukewarm water. If your water heater is not working at its best, we can help you with water heater installation in Montgomery County. In the meantime, there are some steps you can take to address your hot water tank problems.
Solving Hot Water Problems
All water tanks can run into issues from time to time. This includes gas, electric, and even tankless water heaters. Sometimes the solution is as simple as adjusting your tank’s thermostat. You can easily turn the heat up to a higher temperature and see if that helps with the problem.
You may turn the thermostat down sometimes in the summer when the weather is warmer, but if you don’t remember to turn it back up in the winter, your water may not be as hot as you expect. Keep in mind that you should never set your water temperature higher than 120°F or you can risk being scalded when the water turns on.
Calling on a Professional
If adjusting the thermostat doesn’t help, there may be a bigger problem that needs to be addressed. You should never try to fix anything on your hot water heater without the help of a professional. It’s easy to do a search online and find a DIY solution, but it may not be enough. Other common problems include:
- Cracked dip tube – Your hot water heater has a dip tube that pushes cold water toward the bottom of the tank so that it can be heated. If the dip tube is cracked, cold water may be mixing in with your hot water. Replacing this tube may fix the problem.
- Broken gas valve – Once your water heater passes about 10 years of age, the gas valve is more likely to break. If your water heater has a bad smell, it may be due to a gas leak. If the gas leaks, it is not heating your water as it should. If you suspect a gas leak, turn off the gas line and call us immediately.
- Broken heating element – If you have an electric water heater, it’s possible that the heating element can break. Most electric water heaters have two heating elements, but if one breaks, you may be left with water that is not as hot as you are used to.
- Hard water buildup – If your home has hard water, the minerals can build up over time to create layers of sediment in your tank. Even tankless water heaters can sustain damage and blockages from hard water buildup. Luckily, the solution is as easy as flushing your system once per year to remove the sediment buildup.
Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling does what’s right for our customers.