Water Heater Problems and Repairs

Water heater problems normally become self-evident: A hot water faucet fails to summon hot water, you see dripping or puddles near the water heater, or the tank emits strange gurgling or popping sounds.

Though many gas utility companies will make a free house call to solve problems with a gas water heater’s burner or the gas supply to the tank, it helps to know how to solve basic outages yourself. For more difficult issues, contact a qualified local hot water heater repair person.

Typical water heater problems include aleaking tank, not enough hot water, water that is too hot, water that is not hot enough, strange noises in the tank, anddiscolored water. Most water heater problems are easier to diagnose and relatively easy to handle if you understand how they work. For more about this, see How a Storage Water Heater Works.
 Note: Leaking natural gas can be dangerous. If you smell natural gas (it smells a bit like garlic) near the water heater, shut off the pilot light, close the gas shutoff valve, and call aplumber or your gas utility company for assistance.  

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