Water Heater Troubleshooting Tips for San Francisco Area Homeowners

Water heater problems can be very annoying, but there are a number of things you can try on your own to fix them. If your water heater is acting up, take a look at our water heater troubleshooting tips below to see if you can identify and fix your problem.

Water heater troubleshooting tips

• Water heater not producing any hot water. If you have a gas water heater that’s not producing any hot water, it could be due to an inactive pilot light. To check this, turn the gas control valve to the “Pilot” position. Next, inspect the pilot light on the bottom of your unit. If you don’t see a flame, relight the pilot light using the instructions that came with your tank.
• Water heater not producing enough hot water. One of the most common reasons your water heater won’t produce enough hot water is that sediment has built up on the bottom of your tank, which causes your unit to run inefficiently. You can fix this by draining your water heater.
• Water heater is leaking. There are a few different reasons why your water heater might be leaking. One of the simplest explanations is that your drain valve is not completely tightened. You can fix this by simply tightening the knob on the bottom of your tank. Your temperature-pressure relief valve can also leak if your water heater’s temperature is set too high. This can be fixed by lowering your water heater’s thermostat to around 120 degrees.
• Water is too hot. If the water in your home is too hot, you might simply have your water heater’s thermostat set too high. Check what temperature your water heater is set at and, as mentioned above, lower it to around 120 degrees.
• Water heater is noisy. A noisy water heater is often the result of sediment buildup on the bottom of your tank. You can fix this problem by draining your water heater.

If you are experiencing any of the problems above that you can’t fix with any of these water heater troubleshooting tips, contact a plumber like Cabrillo to evaluate and repair your unit.

If you have any questions about water heater troubleshooting, or if you’d like a water heater serviced or installed in your home, contact Cabrillo, your San Francisco plumbing, heating and cooling company. We service the San Francisco area and surrounding cities like Menlo Park, Orinda, Mountain View and Moraga.