Tag Archives: water heater insulation

Water Heater Repair: Taking A Look At The Common Water Heater Problems And How To Fix Them

water heater repair

A water heater is an integral part of your business. Whether you have a tankless, tank-type or solar type water heating system, the system will at one point develop problems. Here are common water heater problems and how to fix them:

Sediment build-up in the water tank

If you have a tank-type system you will often have this problem especially if you stay for long before you hiring a commercial appliances service provider to clean the system for you. There are a number of problems that come about due to excessive sediment build up. One of the problems is rotten egg smell in the water. This is awful as it reduces the chances of you getting repeat customers.

Excessive sediment build up also reduces the amount of water in the tank as the sediment takes up space.  Since most water heater burners are located at the bottom of the tank, debris buildup makes the water heater less effective thus water doesn’t heat as it should. To fix this problem you need to flush the tank to get rid of the excess sediment. You can do the work by yourself or hire a professional to do it for you.

Water heater temperature issues

If the water heater isn’t heating water well enough it could be because you haven’t set the thermostat correctly. Raise or lower the temperature a few degrees and the system will resume working effectively. If the water isn’t getting hot at all, the heating element could be spoilt and you have to replace it. The problem could also be as a result of a non-functioning thermocouple. If you have the necessary skills, you can fix the appliance or hire a professional to help you out.

Water tank noise problems

There is nothing as annoying as noisy water heater. Noise comes about when sediment build up in the tank comes into contact with the heating element. You hear noise when the heating element is burning the sediment away.  The water heater can also make noise when the heating element is on the verge of burning out.

Fixing this problem is easy as all you need to do is to flush the tank in order to get rid of the sediment. If you have already flushed the tank and still the tank makes noises, hire a water heater repair professional to replace the heating element. If you have the skills you can replace it yourself.

Conclusion

Sometimes the problems are due to old age of the appliance. If your water heater is more than 10 years old, it’s time to replace it as no repair work with fix the problems. All you need to do is to hire a commercial appliances repair Alexandria professional to do the work.

 

How To Insulate Your Water Heater

water heater repair

Do you want to save money on your energy bills? You should undertake water heater insulation. When your water heater is properly insulated less heat is lost in the air. This results to the water getting hot fast thus saving you power.

How To Insulate The Water Heater

You should measure your water heater in order to determine the size of faced fibreglass insulation that you should buy. You should also remember to buy duct tape to attach the insulation.

You should cut the insulation into tiny strips and wrap them horizontally around the water heater. You should use the duct tape to join the insulation strips.

To be able to control the water heater even while insulated you should cut out holes for the controls and faucets. You should leave at least 2 inches of exposed area around the flue collar. You should also keep the burner access free from insulation.

To ensure that the water heater is properly insulated you should carefully tape around any unsealed edges of the fibreglass.

Once you are through you should set the thermostat between 120-130 degrees. Any temperature higher than this will overheat the wires thus damaging your heater.

Water heater experts recommend that you should place a piece of rigid insulation under your water heater in order to save more on your power bills.

Helpful tips

Although, you can insulate your water heater if you have the right skills, it’s highly discouraged that you insulate the water heater if you have never done it before. For your water heater to be properly insulated, you should hire the services of certified water heater insulation professional.

When buying the insulation material you should be cautious and ensure that you buy it from a reputable home improvement store. To buy the insulation material at a lower price you should make your purchase during the warm months of the year.

When you are installing the insulation you should be cautious that you don’t cover the flue on top. You should also avoid covering the top of the water heater. You should remember that the insulation is combustible; therefore, you should keep it away from frame sources.

In addition to installing the insulation material on your water heater you should ensure that you regularly clean your unit. When it develops problems, you should ensure that it’s fixed by a water heater repair professional.