How to Determine Whether Your Hot Water Heater is Leaking

Hot Water Heater is our savior without any doubt. Imagine using cold water in hyper winters, for sure that would stop our daily activities but with Hot Water Heaters. We can do almost everything in a very regular manner even in the freezing winters. Hot Water Heaters do not come with lifetime support, these hearts need quality maintenance, usage, and if needed. You will even have to change them, after a while. While most of the issues in a Water Heater can be determined. People often get confused when they see water around their water heater. The confusion is fair because the water can be from the nearby faucet or pipe damage might have occurred. But if a pool of water is on top, around the base, or very near to the water heater then the majority of times. It will be the leakage from the water heater. It is better to do a quick inspection. If you are not sure how to do that then you are looking for water heater repair in Huntington Beach. Then you should contact a professional plumber.

There are ways to check if it is your water heater that is leaking or not.

WAYS TO CHECK LEAKAGE FROM HOT WATER HEATER

Malfunctioning of controls, rusk, water, etc. All are signs that the heater might be the one leaking water but most of the time. We are confused about the parts that should be checked for the same. Here are the tips that you must keep in mind when you face a similar situation

Check the Fittings

Fittings or corrections should be checked of inlet pipes of cold water and outlet pipes of hot water. These will be located on the top of the water heater and might create leakage. Do not just check the pipes visible at the upper area, check other areas as well where connections of two pipes happen. This area can cause water leaks and thus should be checked thoroughly. A leak in these areas is easy to fit and can be fixed by simply tightening the connections using a wrench. If the leak is prolonged one then if there is a puddle of hot water on the top of the water heater this can be a sign of internal damage to your heater. If there is a leak that is outside then it can determine a premature failure because the water that will be collected on the top of the heater will soak the insulation in and once it gets fully wet it will not dry out at all and will cause further issues.

Check the temperature and pressure relief valve

The temperature and pressure relief valve is located on each side of the top of the water heater. This is another area where water leakage is possible. When water is being heated from the heater. It results in expansion of volume and pressure, and this process is also known as thermal expansion. The pressure and temperature relief valve are very safely designed so that the pressure can be released if in any case, the pressure becomes too much in the heater. When these valves get triggered, they open and release excess water from the heating tank, this helps in lowering the overall high pressure being created.

If in any case valves are the sources of water being accumulated then it is just a general sign that valves are working as they should or maybe can be at some fault. In such cases, reducing the temperature of the heating tank using a thermostat will be better. After reducing the temperature, you will have to observe, if water is still leaking from the valves, then they are at fault and are defective. These valves have to be replaced in such cases.

Check the Drain Valve

The drain valve is located at the bottom part of the heater tank and is used for emptying the water from the heater. This is a basic practice done for the maintenance of the people who live in areas with hard water. Areas where hard water is present result in the accumulation of various nutrients, minerals, and sediments that in turn result in rusting and other things that affect the efficiency of the heater.

If you notice water at the very base of your hot water heater then you must check the drain valve and see if it is properly shut or not. If the drain valve is not shut, water will come out continuously. This can be fixed by fitting the valve accordingly and if water is still leaking then it is most likely a defect and you will need to replace that.

Check the Tank

The hot water heater will have an inner tank that contains the hot water. This tank is fabricated of steel and is closed with proper insulation. If a leak is coming from the very bottom of your tank, then it is most probably the inner tank that is damaged.

Once the inner tank is broken, nothing can be done. No repair or replacement will work. You will have to get a brand-new hot water heater.

Know the Difference between Leak and condensation

There is no need to be stressed over every drop of water that is there on or around the hot water heater. Condensation is a very common phenomenon that occurs around the water heaters, condensation happens because of humidity and because of the temperature change that occurs in and out of the heater. Tiny water droplets can be seen on pipes, floor, the body of the water heater, and the area around it but this is no leakage. Leakage is when water continuously drips or flows from the hot water tank.

The best way to check if it is a condensation or leak is by putting a paper towel on the area and noticing the collecting of water. What you will have to do is, simply check the paper towel for any minimal sign of seepage. If you do not find any sign after 24 hours then it is just condensation but if the paper towel is still very wet then it is time to contact the trusted plumber.

Want a water heater to repair Huntington Beach? Contact us and we will send the helpers in a very fast manner. Who are we? We are water heater experts who will help you thoroughly and will try to fix every problem that comes with owning a water heater. You can also try to do some maintenance of your water heater to avoid any kind of harmful incidents, we will mention some tips for that.

MAINTENANCE TIPS

Here are some maintenance tips that you can use to have safer and better water heater usage:

Always test your pressure relief valve

It is always better to check the pressure relief valve. If you own a water heater tank then it must have pressure relief valves. This is because pressure valves are there for safety purposes and allow the water to drain off when pressure levels inside the tank go up. You can easily test the valves by lifting the tab on the valve and then letting them go. This should make water flow and the flow should also be stopped when the valves are down.

Always Flush the water heater

It does not matter what kind of water you drink in your locality, whether hard or soft, water heaters will collect a very severe amount of sediment accumulation. These accumulations will trigger the risk of tank damage, rusting, reduced water availability and can also clog the water lines. A buildup of sediments is very bad and to avoid this situation. It is better to flush the tank every six months. This process is easy but can also get messy so be prepared accordingly or contact us and we will help you out. If you decide to do this job on your own then make sure the power is off.

Always test the Anode Rod

This rod helps in protecting the inner lining of the hot water. This rod is made up of steel core wire that is coated with zinc, aluminum, or some other metal. This is preventive maintenance that should be done to ensure that the tank will not leak any hot water out. You will have to drain the water; the hex head will have to loosen and then you will have to check the thickness and coating of the rod. But this process is very risky and that is why you should just consult a professional from Calis Choices that will make this task much easier and safer as well.

Check the temperature setting

If you have a tankless water heater then it is better. That you keep on checking the temperature setting once in a while. If the system is turned on at a much higher level, it will result in a loss of money.

Author Bio: – Jacqueline Lewis

Jacqueline is a content marketing manager who formerly worked at Cali’s Choice Plumbing & Restoration. She is a writer, editor, and content strategist for plumbing services. Making her knowledge and skills a power, she amplifies the readers’ knowledge about the ways of the water leak and slab leak detection and their reciprocation.

Through her articles, she shares the most successful tactics and strategies of slab leak repair, mitigating blockages through Hydro Jetting, and AC & heater installation tips to the audience.

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