Water Heater Repair & Replacement

How Your Water Heater Works

A water heater works in a fairly simple manner, since there are only a few main parts. The trouble with only having a few parts, though, is that if any of those parts deteriorate or break down, you will not have hot water. In a conventional water heater, cold water enters the tank through your pipes up to a certain capacity. That water is then heated by an electric element or a gas burner. The temperature is regulated by a thermostat that goes to 120 or 140 degrees, depending on the heater. While the water heats, pressure is built inside the tank. That pressure then sends out the hot water when you turn on a faucet, and the temperate you receive is determined by the angle of the faucet you have turned.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Water heaters work simply, with only a few moving parts, so how can they go bad? If your water heater is not producing hot water, it is one of a few things that can be easily fixed by a plumber. Problems with a water heater can come from the pilot light on gas water heaters going out, the burner or heating element fails, a thermostat breaks, the circuit breaker trips on electric heaters, or the valve sticks go bad. If you know what you are doing, you can probably flip the circuit breaker and save a phone call to your plumber. But for other problems with your water heater, call in a professional to make sure you don’t get injured or cause further damage to the appliance.

When is it Time to Replace Your Water Heater?

A conventional storage-tank water heater has a general efficient life of 10 to 13 years. If your heater is getting close to that age and needs repairs, you may be better off simply replacing it. New models are more cost-efficient. Replacing your water heater can actually end up saving you money in energy costs that equate to hundreds of dollars over the life of your new heater. If you have replaced or purchased your water heater recently, though, and it has problems, repairs are probably likely to be good enough. Call your plumbing experts at GM Plumbing Corporation for all of your water heater concerns.