TROUBLESHOOTING SMALL WATER HEATER
A hot water heater handles hot water, which is quite obvious, and hence it should be obvious to that it can be pretty dangerous to work with this equipments. Hence, it is always suggested to get a professional to troubleshoot your unit for you. But one always wants to know what is wrong with the unit before contacting contractors so as to get a quote on the unit.
Not Enough Hot Water
An undersized water heater is usually the culprit if it seems like you never have enough hot water in your home. If the problem is chronic—or if you’ve increased your needs for hot water by installing a big new soaking tub or high-flow shower head—you’ll probably need to get a new, larger water heater. Be sure to look into tankless water heaters because, with this type, you never run out of hot water.
On the other hand, if you’ve had enough hot water in the recent past but your water heater suddenly seems to supply less hot water, first check the dial on the water heater, as discussed above.
NOTE: If outdoor temperatures have dropped significantly, your water heater must work harder to heat and maintain the cold inbound water, and the water cools more as it travels through pipes that run through unheated spaces. This calls for adjusting the water heater’s dial to a slightly hotter temperature.
Also make sure the water heater isn’t leaking. If neither of these issues are the problem, flush the water heater tank to be sure mineral deposits are not reducing the heater’s efficiency.
This is also a good time to test that the temperature-pressure relief valve, which keeps pressure from building up too much in the boiler, is in proper working order. Lift or lower its handle. Water should drain from the overflow pipe.
If these measures don’t do the job, the dip tube that supplies cold water to the tank may be broken or cracked. This plastic tube is supposed to direct cold water to the bottom of the water heater tank, but, if it breaks or splits, cold water pours in at the top of the tank and mixes with the hot water that is on its way to the hot water pipes.
Either have the dip tube replaced by a water heater repair pro, or, if the water heater is out of warranty and showing other signs of age, consider replacing it.
Hot water is too hot
Clearly, the first thing to do if your hot water is too hot is turn down the temperature on the water heater’s thermostat dial. Note the present setting (or mark it with a felt-tip pen), and then turn it toward a cooler setting, wait a couple of hours, and see if the problem is solved.
If steam or excessively hot water shoots out of faucets, or you hear boiling sounds inside the water heater, the appliance may not be shutting off at its set temperature.
The job of the temperature-pressure (TP) relief valve is to release excessive pressure from steam buildup, but this valve may have been improperly installed, or it may be faulty. Either way, this condition can be dangerous, both because hot water and steam can scald people and because the water heater could rupture.
Turn down the water heater’s temperature and allow the water to cool, then replace the water heater’s pressure relief valve.