Hot water is something we tend to take for granted until we don’t have any, or we don’t have enough. Once there’s a problem, we realize just how important hot water really is. If you’re experiencing an issue with your hot water supply, you may have a problem with your hot water heater.
Here are some troubleshooting tips for two of the most common issues involving your home’s hot water heater. However, if you’re unsure how to perform any of these steps, you should call a licensed plumber for help.
No Hot Water
- Gas water heaters depend on a pilot light to light the burner, which heats the water in your tank. Check to see if the pilot light is lit. If not, you can try to re-light it by following the directions exactly as they appear on the control valve. If you’re unsuccessful, turn off the gas supply immediately and call a professional for help.
- Electric water heaters heat water with immersed elements. Check your breaker panel to ensure they haven’t tripped. If your breakers are okay, or you’ve reset them, check the reset switches on the elements. If the elements don’t heat up, they may need a replacement.
Water is Not Hot Enough
- For both water heater types, check your thermostat to ensure it’s not set too low. Most thermostats are set at 60ºC. However, if you have children or at-risk adults in the home, consider installing an anti-scalding device.
- A shortage of hot water can also be caused by sediment buildup at the bottom of your tank. Draining and flushing the tank can help resolve this issue. If the problem recurs, you’ll likely need to replace the anodizing rod.
Arpi’s Industries, Ltd. has been helping Calgary with water heater issues for more than 50 years. Contact us for repair or replacement of your hot water heater to ensure you always have an ample supply.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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