Troubleshooting Common Problems in Hot Water Tanks

Generally hot water heaters don't have too many problems, but when they do, having some idea of hot water tank maintenance tips can help. There are different problems that can occur with hot water heaters and these can be anything from warm or cold water, smelly water, popping sounds and other things. Doing a little maintenance every now and then may help to reduce things going wrong with the heater. If the water heater suddenly decides it doesn't want to heat, this could be caused by a gas flame going out and a faulty thermostat. You can check this by turning on a hot tap and leaving it running for several minutes. If the thermostat is working the burner will light automatically, where it fails to light then the thermostat may have become faulty and will need replacing.

If you find the water supply to your hot tap has reduced this may be caused by a build-up of sediment in the tank. If this is the cause then the hot water tank maintenance tips for this is that the tank needs to be drained and flushed. This can also be cause by insufficient air causing problems with combustion in a gas burner which may be due to problems with ventilation or the burner is not working properly. If you find you have hot water but only for a short time and this continues to happen then the dip tube could be broken. The dip tube normally fills the tank on the bottom allowing the hot water to rise and be taken off for use, if this tube is broken then the cold water may enter further up and reduce the amount of hot water available. In this case the dip tube will need to be replaced.

A bad smell in the water may be caused by bacteria in the tank. There may be a number of ways to help eliminate this problem with hot water maintenance tips depending on what is causing it. The hot water tank can be drained and flushed, the temperature can be increased to kill bacteria or a water filter can be installed to reduce the amount of debris entering the tank. The tank and water pipes can also be flushed with a solution containing hydrogen peroxide, the sacrificial anode rod may need changing to a zinc alloy anode rod or the heater may require replacing with a tank lined with plastic which is a final step if none of the other solutions work. When a heater has developed a popping noise this is generally due to a build-up of sediment on the bottom of the tank, when the gas begins to heat the water it has to first heat all this sediment which can be the cause of the noise. The heater needs to be drained and flushed, this can be done by attaching a garden hose to the drain valve, turning it on and allowing the incoming cold water to stir the tank, and force the sediment out of the drain valve. This should take several minutes, keep it running till the water coming out of the hose becomes clean, then turn off the drain valve.