Suddenly you begin to observe some ominous signs, like water not hot enough; clothes fresh from the washer looking dingy; dishwasher washed dishes not sparkling. All these symptoms boils down to one thing – water heater is in trouble.

Before you start investigating, turn off the power supply or gas heater’s pilot control; shut off water supply, the cold one; turn on the hot water tap and keep a bucket to drain valve. The most common issues of heaters are, running out of hot water, water looks rusty and smells bad; water heater makes noises and water heater leaking.

Sedimentation is the reason for running out of hot water soon. Sediment collect at the bottom of the heater creating sludge that replaces water. As a result the volume of water gets reduced. Turn off the power, close water input, open the TPR valve, and then flush out the sediment out of the tank with a few gallons of water.

Water looking rusty means corrosion inside the water heater. Check the storage tank, the anode rods. The anode rods are there to attract corrosives to themselves to protect the tank. Determine which one is doing the mischief; repair or replace it.

Bad odor in the water is again the work of sediment. Over time sediment breeds bacteria. A decaying anode gives off hydrogen gas which nourishes the bacteria; these bacteria produce the nasty smell, like rotten egg, in the water. Getting rid of the sediment will automatically get rid of the smell.

When you go near the water heater and hear some funny noise, you can be sure that the water is overheating. Again sediment is the culprit. The noise is produced when the water in the tank begins to boil. Again flush out the sediment.

There is puddle under the water heater. Don’t jump to conclusion that the water heater is leaking. It can be that the gaskets or fittings or nearby pipes are responsible for the puddle. Temperature pressure relief valve can also create such puddle. If the gaskets or fitting is leaking tighten them. If the TPR valve is leaking open and close it a few times manually. If you find the TPR valve defective and needs replacement, call a plumber and have him replace the valve immediately. A TPR valve not functioning means there is ample chance of your tank exploding.

These are the common problems that a water heater is likely to face. You can use the solution suggested to overcome the problems, and save a few dollars. But if you can follow a regular maintenance schedule for water heater maintenance; you will be able to enjoy hot showers for a long time to come