Your home’s water heater is one of its most important appliances. So, when it breaks down, it will have a major impact on your home. Also, as a part of your home’s plumbing infrastructure, it can damage your home if it fails. That’s why all homeowners need to know how to respond promptly to a water heater failure. That way, you won’t have to spend time looking for help when you should be safeguarding your home. Here is everything you should do if your home’s water heater breaks down.
Identify the Type of Failure
Your response plan after a water heater failure is dependent on what type of failure has occurred. That’s because a leaking water heater requires a different response from one that’s not heating. So, your first task is to try and figure out the extent of your water heater problem. To do this, first examine the outside of your water heater. Look for any signs of damage, including bulges and ongoing leaks.
If you don’t see any leaks, but your water heater isn’t supplying hot water, you may have a power problem. To check for this, look at the circuit breaker that powers your water heater. If it’s in the off position, try resetting it. If it trips back to the off position, your water heater has an electrical issue. If not, the problem you’re experiencing lies elsewhere.
It’s important to note that even newer gas water heaters need electricity to function. This is because most newer units use electronic igniters instead of a pilot light. So, your gas water heater will stop working if it loses power.
Turn off Your Water Heater’s Power Supply
No matter what’s wrong with your water heater, the first thing you should do if it fails is turn off its power. After all, the combination of water and electricity is dangerous. You could get a shock if your water heater begins leaking and you touch one of its metal surfaces. You can turn off the power to your water heater by turning off its circuit breaker. Some water heaters will also have a disconnect box located right near them that will also cut power to them. Either way, it’s essential to be certain there’s no electricity running to your water heater before you touch it.
Turn off Your Water Heater’s Water Supply
If your water heater is leaking or has a deformation, you must shut off its water supply immediately. Doing so will prevent it from refilling and continuing to leak. If you have a storage tank water heater, its water supply enters from the top. The incoming water line will have an inline shutoff valve located within 3 feet of the unit. After finding it, turn the valve clockwise until it cannot rotate further. If you’re unable to do so, find your home’s main water supply valve and turn that off instead. If you own a tankless water heater, it should also have a water shut-off valve right near its top.
Turn off Your Water Heater’s Gas Supply
If you have a gas-powered water heater, you should also turn off its natural gas supply, just for safety. Gas-powered water heaters will feature a shut-off valve on their incoming gas supply line. You can identify the gas supply line easily because it won’t look like the water lines. Gas pipes are made of black pipe. So, all you have to do is find the black pipe that leads to your water heater, and you’ll find its shut-off valve. Turn that valve clockwise, and it will halt the gas flowing to your water heater.
Drain Your Water Heater
If your storage tank water heater continues leaking after you turn off its water supply, you’ll need to drain it. All you’ll need to do it is a standard garden hose. If your home has a hot water tap that’s on a lower floor than your water heater, start by turning it on. Gravity will begin draining water from your water heater immediately. If the water coming from the tap isn’t especially hot, you can move on to the next step.
The next step is to locate the drain valve near the base of your water heater. After finding it, attach your garden hose to it and tighten the fitting. Then, run the hose to a nearby drain and secure it there. Next, open up the water heater’s drain valve. Then, open the water heater’s pressure relief valve. This valve will be either on the top or side of your water heater. You can open this valve by lifting its metal lever upwards. Before you do, place a container or dry towel beneath the valve in case it lets some water out once open. Opening the pressure relief valve will let air into the top of your tank and prevent a vacuum. Otherwise, you may be unable to fully drain your water heater.
Call a Plumber
With your water heater off and empty, your next task is calling Delta Mechanical so that we can dispatch a plumber. We typically offer same-day services at almost all times. Once there, our plumber will examine your water heater and let you know the best way to proceed. If your water heater is older or beyond easy repair, they may advise you to replace it.
We sell and install both storage tank and tankless water heater models. So, if you want to replace your water heater with a similar model, we can do that. Or, if you’d like to switch to a different type of water heater, we can help with that, too. For example, if you’re thinking of switching to a tankless water heater, we can let you know if it’s a good idea. Tankless water heaters are more efficient and can save you money on operating costs. But if you like using hot water in multiple parts of your home simultaneously, a tankless might not work well. Whatever you choose, however, we can get your hot water supply back up and running quickly.
Trusted Plumbing Experts
For over 30 years, Delta Mechanical has been the place that Mesa, AZ homeowners turn to for their plumbing needs. We have a team of highly trained, experienced plumbers that can take care of any plumbing job you require. We offer everything from leak detection and repiping to water heaters and water treatment systems. We even offer a lowest-price guarantee on all water heater installations we perform.
So, whenever you choose us, you can be sure you’re getting the best deal out there. We’re also Better Business Bureau accredited and have countless glowing customer reviews to our credit. We even offer financing options on approved credit to help you fit larger plumbing projects into your budget. So, if you need help with a malfunctioning water heater in Mesa, call our experts at Delta Mechanical right away!
