Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Water Heaters’

Is It Time To Replace Your Water Heater?

Monday, August 21st, 2023
water-washing

You depend on your water heater 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. So when it exhibits signs that it’s struggling to do its job, it’s imperative that you recognize them and pay attention.

Although water heater replacement is something no one ever looks forward to, ignoring the signs that it’s time for a replacement could lead to an interruption in your home’s hot water supply.

When you think about how many times you depend on hot water not just for comfort, but for safety, it’s definitely better to upgrade the system when it’s due. Here are four signs that it’s time to replace that old water heater.

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Extend the Life of Your Water Heater with These Tips

Monday, December 14th, 2015

Water heaters are built to last a fairly long time, considering how much of an investment they are. No one wants to replace their water heater every couple of years. However, if you want to make sure that your water heater lasts as long as possible, you’re going to need to do more than trust to chance. Read on for a list of procedures and precautions you can take to ensure that your water heater lasts as long as possible.

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When to Replace Your Water Heater

Monday, September 21st, 2015

Water heaters are incredibly tough systems. They’re built to last years in constant contact with water, and if you take good care of them they can last even longer. Unfortunately, however, they cannot last forever. At some point, you will eventually have to replace your water heater. If you aren’t sure whether or not your water heater needs replacing, read on.

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What Happens During a Water Heater Maintenance Appointment

Monday, August 10th, 2015

Water heater maintenance is a very important part of keeping your water heater healthy. While we have written about the benefits of water heater maintenance before, we haven’t really covered what actually happens during a water heater maintenance appointment. We feel that it’s important to know at least some of the procedures associated with water heater maintenance, so you can understand why it’s actually so important. With that in mind, let’s look at some of those procedures now.

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Water Heater Parts: The Anode Rod

Monday, May 18th, 2015

Your water heater is one of the hardest working appliances in your house. You probably don’t use your heater or air conditioner every day, but you almost certainly use hot water. If you use a storage water heater, as most people do, your water heater is working day and night to provide you with hot water. All of that water exposure should cause your water heater to rust into oblivion within a couple of years. Why, then, do water heaters last up to a decade under constant water exposure? The answer lies with a part called the “anode rod.” Let’s take a closer look at what the anode rod is, and why you need to have yours checked at least once a year.

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Why Am I Not Getting Enough Hot Water from My Water Heater?

Friday, March 20th, 2015

You’ve been relying on the same water heater for years. It has always delivered the right amount of water to keep your family happy: every morning, everyone gets to enjoy a hot shower (as long as they don’t stay in too long). But then one day, the hot water starts to run out earlier. There is more of a rush not to be the last person to hop in the shower each morning. And perhaps you’ve started to notice the hot water running out at other times of the day.

What’s wrong? Does your water heater need to be replaced? Or does it only need repair work?

To answer these questions requires professional plumbers with experience repairing water heaters. You can call Saddleback Plumbing and talk to our experts in water heaters in Orange County, CA to find out if you need repair work—or a new water heater.

Water heater repairs

There are a number of malfunctions that can cause a water heater to start to lose its supply of hot water. One of the more common is a broken dip tube. The dip tube is responsible for drawing in cold, fresh water into the storage tank, and then depositing it at the bottom of the tank where it receives heat. If the dip tube breaks, it will mean the cold water will start to gather at the top of the tank, where the pump removes the rising heated water to distribute it through the house. If cold water starts to mix at the top of the tank, it will soon replace the hot water, making it seem as if the system is running out of heated water too quickly.

Another problem that can result in a loss of the hot water supply is trouble with the burners in a gas furnace. If the burners are not igniting or not receiving sufficient natural gas, they will struggle to warm up enough water for your needs. If you have an electric water heater, loss of hot water can occur if one of the two heating elements fail.

Water heater replacement

At a certain point, a water heater will simply start to work inefficiently due to age. If your water heater is at or past its manufacturer’s estimated lifespan and it starts to lose heating power, you should probably have it replaced. Consult with a water heater professional to make sure that this is the best choice.

Call Saddleback Plumbing today for answers about water heaters in Orange County, CA. We have more than 30 years of experience installing, repairing, and maintaining water heaters in the area.

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Hard Water and Your Water Heater

Wednesday, March 4th, 2015

Modern water heaters are built to endure, and they will resist corrosion and other damage for many years, provided that they receive annual maintenance visits from professionals. However, one factor in your home that may threaten your water heater with damage and even an early replacement is hard water coming from the municipal supply. This is a serious issue, and if it’s occurring in your home you should contact Saddleback Plumbing right away. We not only provide excellent repair service for water heaters in Orange County, but we can also install water softeners to eliminate hard water trouble.

Why hard water is a problem for water heaters

Hard water is water that contains a high amount of minerals suspended in it, principally magnesium and calcium. These minerals often enter the water supply on its way from the municipal treatment plant through ground water seepage. Hard water is almost never harmful to drink, but it can cause major issues for your home’s plumbing and its water heater.

The high temperatures inside a water heater tank will create a substance called limescale from the minerals inside hard water. Limescale will begin to build up along the inside of the tank. Because limescale acts as an insulator, it will prevent heat from escaping naturally from the tank. The result is a temperature imbalance inside the water heater that will often lead to overheating and high pressure that can damage the system. In addition, limescale deposits will start to block valves and connections in the water heater, creating additional pressure problems that can lead to leaking.

Repair technicians can de-scale a tank to remove the deposits from hard water and restore the water heater. However, if you are encountering hard water issues, you will need to go a step further and get to the root of the problem with the installation of a whole-house water softener. This will both protect your water heater and the rest of your plumbing, which will suffer from calcite deposits in the piping that will create spikes in water pressure.

Saddleback Plumbing is experienced with working on water heaters and installing and servicing whole-house water treatment systems. If you are experiencing trouble with your water heater due to hard water, give us a call right away. You can trust to our more than 35 years of experience with servicing water heaters in Orange County and finding solutions for water quality problems.

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Common Water Heater Repairs

Wednesday, October 1st, 2014

Your water heater provides comfort and convenience at home, improving your showers, keeping laundry fresh, and helping you with many of the cleaning tasks around the house. But not all water heater repair needs will be immediately apparent. It’s important to schedule water heater maintenance every year for cleaning and adjustments and to make sure no component needs immediate replacement.

Without proper maintenance, it’s likely you’ll run into some sudden repair needs from time to time. If you call a technician because of reduced heating, loud noises, or discoloration, here are some of the problems a plumber may look for when inspecting water heaters.

  • Broken Dip Tube: The dip tube is a pipe that allows water to flow into the bottom of storage tank water heaters. A burner or electric heating element at the bottom of the tank heats up the water, which then rises to the top of the tank due to the heat rising principle. If the dip tube is cracked or broken, cold water can flow to the top of the tank, which means you may not feel any hot water at all. This part will probably need to be replaced.
  • Sediment in the Tank: Loud rumbling in the tank may indicate sediment buildup. If you have hard water, mineral deposits may build up in the tank, and could eventually block the pipes. With regular maintenance, however, your tank is flushed to keep this from occurring. If you hear a loud banging or rumbling noise from your water heater, call a professional who can flush your tank and make sure there is no further damage.
  • Rust: Many people will tell you that rust in your hot water supply is a death sentence for your water heater. However, rust-colored water may result from a corroded anode rod, which simply requires immediate replacement to prevent your tank from rusting as well. The anode rod attracts particle that cause corrosion, sacrificing itself for the good of your unit. However, it needs replacement every now and then so that it does not corrode too much to function properly.

If you have questions about water heaters in Orange County, call Saddleback Plumbing today!

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