Most Common Water Heater Problems

Did you have to force your way through a cold shower this morning? Most homeowners start to realize they have a water heater problem when the hot water in the shower no longer lasts or isn’t available at all.

Listed below are some of the most common hot water heater problems. If you think your water heater is not working, call a Kobella plumbing technician to talk through some hot water heater troubleshooting at (440) 729-2099.

Cold, Lukewarm or Scalding Water

Cold showers​ could mean heating elements, thermostat or dip tube are failing and need to be addressed.

Lukewarm showers ​could mean you have a broken dip tube. Water heaters have a dip tube on the cold water inlet that delivers cold water down to the burner on the bottom of the water heater tank. Overtime, this tube can break down or deteriorate, allowing small plastic particles to break loose and plug faucets and fixtures. Dip tube deterioration also allows cold water to mix with hot water at the top of the tank, resulting in lukewarm water.

Scalding showers ​in the first few minutes could mean heating elements have failed.

Leaking Water

If you notice water dripping from the pipe coming out of the side of your water heater, the water heater’s temperature or tank pressure could be too high. High temperatures are most often a result of thermostat or heating element failure. But, they could also be due to high water pressure in the house that needs to be regulated down.

Most water heater manufacturers recommend a thermal expansion tank. The expansion tank acts as a buffer to handle the water expansion and increased pressure that naturally results from the water being heated.

Learn more about hot water heater repair, service and maintenance here.