Your water heater isn’t doing its job, but what constitutes an emergency call and what’s just a standard repair call? If you’re curious, we’ll help you figure it out so you don’t end up making an emergency call when you don’t need to. We’ve seen tons of water heaters in Pittsford NY and know the ins and outs of how these calls go. Let’s help you discern between a problem and an emergency for your water heater.
Sudden and Complete Loss of Hot Water
All of a sudden, you can’t get a single drop of hot water. Nobody’s used the shower, the dishwasher isn’t running, and there’s no other reason you can think that your hot water would suddenly be off.
First thing first: check your circuit breaker and see if the switch for your water heater has been tripped. This can happen from time to time for various reasons, so if you switch it back to the right position and the hot water flows a few hours later, then you’re good to go. If not, you’ll need a technician to come and see what’s wrong. This would be an emergency.
Visible Leaks/Pooling Water
Your water heater isn’t supposed to leak. If you found information online that says they are, look again: those posts are talking about boilers, which do let off a bit of water through the pressure release valve from time to time. Water heaters? They’re not supposed to.
If you notice any pooling water near your water heater, it’s a cause for concern. You should shut down your water heater and call a technician immediately. That leak could progress at any point and become worse, damaging the flooring, walls, baseboards, and whatever else is around your water heater.
Odors Sourced From Your Water Heater
You turn on the cold water, and it’s fine. But when you turn the hot water on, it has a bit of a funky smell to it. That’s not good. It means your hot water is pooling and not hot enough to stave off bacterial growth. It will be advised that you turn off your hot water heater and wait for a technician.
If your cold water doesn’t smell, you can still use it. If you need hot water, boil water that comes cold/room temperature out of the tap. Otherwise, you will have to wait for repairs. While having access to hot water is necessary, you still have a way to get it, so this wouldn’t be labeled as an emergency call.
Water Heater Troubles Can’t Wait
Your water heater needs to be taken care of. Hot water is essential to your health as well as your comfort. It’s time to hire the professionals to take care of your water heater, and maintain it for years to come so you don’t run into these issues again and again.
Contact Potter HVAC Cooling & Plumbing today to schedule your plumbing inspections, repairs, or maintenance as soon as possible.