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Water Heater Repair: Which Type of Water Heater Should You Choose When You Need to Purchase a New One? | Memorial City
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Most water heaters last up to 10 years or more under normal usage conditions before they need water heater repair or replacement. If you have recently had a repair service for the second or third time, you might want to think about looking for a new water heater in Memorial City.
Top five reasons why BluefrogBluefrog Plumbing & Drain customers contact us for water heater repair include:
No hot water–could indicate pilot light is out for gas-powered water heaters or damage to the thermostat/heating elements in electric water heaters
Hot water runs out quickly–inadequate supplies of hot water may mean heating elements are about to stop working, dip tube is disconnected or damaged or your water heater tank is full of sediment
Water is brown, rusty or smells like sewage–Accumulation of bacteria combined with corroded pipes could be the cause of discolored or odorous hot water
Hissing or burbling noises coming from the water heater tank--often a sign of a leak where water is dropping onto the tank’s burner. New water heaters or water heaters that have been shut off for several weeks may sometimes hiss due to condensation dripping on the burner. Once the tank has fully heated, the hissing noises should stop. If they don’t, call us for expert water heater repair.
Water leaking around the base of a water heater tank–faulty pressure or temperature valves, damaged plumbing connections or severe tank corrosion may allow water to leak from a tank. If the tank itself is leaking water, you will need to replace it with a new water heater as soon as possible to avoid complete loss of hot water.
Water Heater Tank Types
Standard Tank Water Heaters (Electric or Gas)
Most Memorial City residents rely on tank water heaters to heat their home’s water. These insulated water heaters stand about five feet high and can hold up to 80 gallons of hot water. Gas water heater tanks heat water using a gas-fueled flame that burns below the tank. Electric hot water heaters have electric heating elements suspended within the tank to heat water. A thermostat typically set between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit maintains an even water temperature. To prevent pressure build-up inside the tank, a pressure relief valve is attached on top of the tank.
A family of four will find a 40 to 50 gallon tank adequately addresses their daily hot water needs. However, if you are using a dishwasher and a washing machine at the same time someone is taking a shower, you might run out of hot water during these high-demand times. If your tank has had time to replenish its supply of hot water but you’re getting only warm or cold water, contact our professional plumbers for water heater repair.
Although gas-powered hot water heaters cost a bit more than electric water heaters, they are cheaper to operate because gas costs less than electricity to power home appliances. Alternately, when deciding what kind of water heater to buy, be aware that electric hot water heaters do work more efficiently than gas tanks.
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain provides top quality water heater repair services for both electric and gas water heater tanks. We’re available 24/7 for all your emergency plumbing and water heater repair needs.
Hybrid Water Heaters
Hybrid tanks have an electric heat pump that utilizes an evaporator coil and small compressor to extract heat from the air around the tank. These elements then transfer air into the tank to heat incoming water. Hybrid hot water heaters consume about 60 percent less energy than standard electric or gas water heaters.
The one drawback of hybrid water heaters is their higher than average price. Paying twice as much for a hybrid water heater than a standard water heater can make you think twice about purchasing one. However, it’s likely your family will recoup the amount you paid for a hybrid water heater in energy savings within several years of installing a hybrid unit.
Tankless Water Heaters
Also called “on-demand water heaters“, tankless water heaters are compact wall units that do not use a storage tank to hold hot water. Instead, a tankless water heater doesn’t spring into action until someone in your household turns on a hot water faucet. When this happens, the unit draws in cold water while simultaneously activating a flow sensor connected to a gas burner or electric heating elements.
Cold water is heated as it passes over an exchanger that warms water according to a preset temperature. Hot water then leaves the wall unit and flows directly to an appliance or where the hot water faucet was turned on. In other words, hot water does not remain in a tank but is produced only when someone needs it.
Once the person stops using hot water, the unit shuts down and doesn’t become activated until a hot water faucet is turned on or you use an appliance like a washing machine or dishwasher. Although tankless water heaters haven’t entered the mainstream due to their price, their energy efficiency is rapidly making them a leading choice of many new homeowners. In addition, you don’t have to worry about running out of hot water during high demand times. Tankless water heaters are an unlimited source of hot water to accommodate the needs of larger or extended families living under one roof.
Bluefrog Plumbing & Drains performs water heater repair on tankless water heaters.
Point of Use Hot Water Heaters
Tankless and smaller than standard water heaters, point of use water water heaters are designed to provide hot water to one location only. For example, a point of use water heater can be installed near fixtures far away from a primary water heater. People like point of use water heaters because they supply hot water instantly to bathtubs, showers and bathroom sinks in multi-story, sprawling homes. This avoids having to run water for a time before hot water flows out of the faucet or showerhead.
Point of use water heater units are small enough to fit inside hall closets or bathroom vanities. You simply plug the unit into an electrical outlet to begin using it.
Regardless of what type of water heat you have in your home or decide to purchase, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain offers water heater repair for all makes and models of hot water heaters. If you would like more information about water heaters or our water heater repair services, contact us today to speak to one of our expert plumbing technicians.
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