If you’ve gotten up one day only to discover that you’ve got no hot water, you’re going to be wondering what the problem is. Perhaps it’s simply a matter of the pilot light having gone out, which is a simple fix, but what if it’s something more than that? There are a variety of things that could be wrong, and most will require a professional to come examine and correct them.
As mentioned, no hot water could simply mean that the pilot light has gone out, in which case it simply needs to be reignited. This is easy, but be sure to familiarize yourself with the process before proceeding. But a different problem could be that the pilot control valve is damaged and in need of a replacement. Call your plumber to determine that this in fact the problem and to have them fix it for you. If you discover that water is leaking from the bottom of your water heater unit, the most likely cause is that the interior tank has corroded, though it’s possible there could be other causes. Here again you will need to seek the assistance of your plumber to make the correct diagnosis and have the problem corrected. In the case of a corroded tank, the entire water heater will need to be replaced, and this is a task best left to a trained professional.
If you are running out of hot water well before you feel you should, a likely cause is that your water heater is being overtaxed and is unable to keep up with the amount of hot water that you are using. In this case there is really nothing you can do except reduce the number of things requiring the use of hot water at one time, or of course you can replace the unit with a larger one if space and finances allow. There are other issues though, such as a faulty installation which has gotten the connections crossed. Additionally, there could be an issue with your pilot light. If you’ve ruled out excessive usage of hot water, then it’s time to call your plumber once again to inspect the unit to find out where the problem is stemming from. This can often be a fairly easy fix, but without knowing exactly what the problem is, you won’t know where to begin, so diagnosis is required.
A water heater is usually a fairly stable device, though the above problems and more can occasionally occur. If at any point you believe that there is something not quite right with your water heater, call up your plumber right away and have them assess the situation. Chances are it’s something simple, but you’ll certainly want to know right away if it’s something more serious that requires immediate attention.
Water heater woes in Portland, OR? Reliant Plumbing & Mechanical Inc can help!