DIY Hot Water Heater Repair Tips

Water heaters tend to fail when you need them the most. That being said, by making sure to check and maintain your water heater, especially before winter hits, you can avoid many of these problems. Some of the more common water heater problems include:

• Little or no hot water
• rust in the water
• The smell of rotten eggs
• A thud or pop
• A leak around the base of your heater
• a whimpering sound

getting ready for work

Before doing any DIY repairs or troubleshooting your water heater, do the following:

• Turn off the gas or electricity to the heater.
• Close the water valve.
• Drain all the water by unscrewing the valve located under your water heater.

problem no. 1: no hot water

Possible causes of no hot water include:

• A bad gasoline pilot
• A faulty gas control valve
• With broken thermocouple

Possible solutions to this problem:

• See if the gas pilot flame is on. If it doesn’t burn, it means the gas isn’t flowing as it should.
• Reseat, tighten, or replace your thermocouple.
• Replace control valve.

problem no. 2: Not enough hot water

The main causes of this problem include:

• The unit is small, so it cannot meet the demand adequately.
• A damaged or broken dip tube that allows hot and cold water to mix
• A bad installation that has crossed the hot and cold water pipes.

Possible ways to fix this problem:

• You need to make sure that your water heater is not overloaded. You must have a 40 gallon water heater if the demand requires 30 gallons because 75% of your capacity needs to be hot water.
• Open the inlet tube nipple and remove the dip tube. If it looks bad, replace it.
• Check if the connection has been crossed by turning off all water supply. Open the hot water faucet if you still see water coming out then you have a cross connection. The most common problem is the hot water line connected to the cold water line like a dishwasher, shower valves, or faucet.
• Check if the burner is burning correctly. If you have a gas heater, the flame should be bright blue with a slight yellow tinge to the tip.

problem no. 3: rust colored water

Some of the root causes of this problem are:

• Corrosion inside glass lined tank
• The sacrificial anode may be failing. The anode fails because the rod dissolves slowly, preventing the tank from rusting. Once it completely fails, it rusts and takes over.

repair possible

Simply replace the anode rod with a new magnesium rod. These can be purchased at a plumbing supply store.

problem no. 4: The smell of rotten eggs

Bacteria in your hot water tank feed on the sediment creating hydrogen gas that mixes with the decay of your sacrificial anode.

Possible ways to fix the problem:

• Thoroughly rinse the water heater, then add 2 pints or about 3% of a strong peroxide solution to about 40 gallons of water. Also run some of this solution down your water lines.
• The solution should remain in the tank and pipes for about 2 hours. The solution is non-toxic, so rinsing is not necessary.
• If you continue to have problems, replace the anode with a zinc one.

If the problem persists, you may need to change your water heater and get one with a plastic liner.