Guide to Common Causes of a Busted Water Heater
Nobody appreciates standing ankle-deep in icy water in their basement, asking, “why is my water heater leaking.” Or, while seated on the couch, they might see water dripping onto their head from the ceiling. Your rugs, photos, comic books, or other treasured belongings shouldn’t be ruined by water from a damaged water heater. Contact Melbourne emergency plumbers, who will inform you of the main causes of a water heater leak so that you may avoid the awful flooded basement catastrophe that is brought on by a ruptured water heater. Learn how to fix the most common causes of leaking or faulty water heaters by reading about them.
Rust and Sediment Deposition in the Water Heater
Most water heaters are made of steel. Steel, which is primarily made of iron, corrodes because iron rusts. When anode rods, a water heater’s defense against rust, ultimately wear out or break, your water heater may start to leak from the top anode. If you notice that the hot water flowing from your faucet has an unpleasant, rusty brown tint, we suggest calling a plumber to replace the anode rod in your water heater.
Furthermore, the majority of homes use hard water in their water heaters. Hard water causes minute amounts of dissolved minerals to gradually begin to gather in the bottom of your water heater’s tank. A layer of accumulation forms, as a result, obstructing water from reaching the burner.
Why does this matter? Since the water heats up more slowly, there is a greater chance of overheating, general wear and tear, and—most frequently—base leaks. The good news is that you may avoid this problem by cleaning away any built sediment and draining the water at least once a year. If not, you can run into some problems with the water tank and you can contact directly to hot water plumber in Melbourne.
Leaking Drain Valve
A leaky drain valve may be to blame if you find that your water heater is predominantly leaking from the bottom. If the drain valve fails, your basement can become flooded. As was previously mentioned, drain valves are employed to empty the hot water tank of its sediment and drain the hot water. Your water heater leak may simply require a slight tightening of the valve. Avoid overtightening to prevent breaking the valve and aggravating the leak. Simply locate the handle or knob and make sure it is completely tightened, but first, make sure the leak is coming from the drain valve and not from somewhere else.
Internal Leak
Your water heater may drip water from the bottom most frequently due to an internal tank leak. This may indicate that a structural weakness caused inside tank damage, which is the cause of your water tank’s leak. Your tank may have developed corrosion if sediment hasn’t been removed from it for a long, which could have caused a crack in the tank’s shell or other issues. Look for any signs of serious inner issues on the outside of your tank. Here, replacing your water heater will likely be your only alternative.
The Force of Air
Excess air pressure increases inside the tank of your water heater when the temperature is too high or the pressure of the outside water entering your home is too high. To prevent these problems, make sure your water heater is set no higher than 120–125 degrees.
We also advise monitoring the temperature and pressure relief valves on your water heater. It releases pressure from the heater’s tank, which is either on top or to the side of your tank, as needed. If you test the valve and no water leaks out of it or if the valve is the leak’s source, we advise replacing it right away. Avoid replacing it with a plastic valve if at all feasible because they are inexpensive and prone to failing again rapidly.
Time
Last but not least, your water heater may succumb to aging. A hot water heater has an 8 to 10-year lifespan on average. Simple leaks are more likely to happen at the end of their life cycle due to regular wear and tear. Corrosion, sediment damage from years of settling, and the unavoidable effects of aging are other possible causes of these potential leaks.
You can call a plumber in Melbourne that can easily help you out with water heater-related issues.
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