If you are having gas water heater problems and need to get it repaired, please do not go to the “how-to” guides on the internet and end up trouble shooting the repair on your own. You could actually end up causing more damage. Only qualified technicians should be messing with such devices. With years of experience, they know exactly what can go wrong as well as how and why including all the solutions to fix said problems. Considering basic trouble shooting and you are going to do it anyway, here are some tips, but be warned: It is better to get a professional service to handle your gas Water Heater Repair.
No trouble shooting at all should be done until there is a test for gas leaks. This is very important and the difference between an explosion and not one, revealing a major contrast.
If the problem is simply no hot water, then the first thing to do is check to see if the pilot light is lit on a gas water heater. Often this is the issue and that is one thing you do not have to be a certified technician to do. All you are doing is lighting a tiny little secured fire. Ask your local professionally accredited technician for instructions.
If there is not enough hot water on a consistent basis, the problem may be the thermostat. Check the settings. If it is too low, set it higher. When that fails, stop there and consult a professional technician immediately about gas Water Heater Repair. If it is a clogged burner or low gas pressure, there is nothing you can do. Using local services is ideal because you will be supporting the local economy, benefitting yourself directly.
Sometimes there is slow recovery of hot water and this is typically due to settlement build up at the heater base. Commonly, this is identified as a crackling and popping noise whenever the unit ignites and again requires professionally certified service.
If the relief valve does not operate and the temperature of water is excessive, a relief valve will function and discharge. This is an indication of a problem. The inlet for water heating is directly fed through the main without pressure with no pressure relief valves or any check valves in between. When the water gets heat, it expands.And the extra volume usually goes back to the main water supply. Blockages cause an increase in volume and it cannot go anywhere during an impressive pressure increase. A solution is to place an expansion tank at the inlet, allowing for the excess pressure to have a place to disperse to.
You can see how complicated this is. More problems exist and happen for troubleshooting gas water heaters than you could imagine. Water Heater Repair is a complex trade requiring detailed knowledge of many different models. With professional guidance, you can have the real problem pinpointed and fixed without spending all the time and effort at pointless troubleshooting when you have a local repair company nearby to help.