Can Gas Hot Water Heaters Be Repaired

Should a leaking hot water heater be repaired or replaced.

Can gas hot water heaters be repaired.

The unit must be replaced as soon as possible. You should be able to spot a leak because water will drip from the heater and pool underneath. Let s think about common problems you may encounter. A t p valve and plumbing leaks can be repaired but a leaky water heater tank cannot.

Go to the article gas water heater thermocouple issues for information on this common repair. Gas hot water heater troubleshooting usually leads you to the thermocouple. If your water heater s gas or electric has been submerged in water do not attempt to repair install or operate the product. You may be able to repair your water heater if.

Regular maintenance will extend the life of your water heater and some repairs such as replacing a pressure relief valve or heating element are pretty simple. If you already used a digital multimeter to test the disconnected thermocouple for around 20mv when holding down the pilot button and a sparked lit pilot your gas pilot aluminum tube may still need disassembly and cleaning sometimes of an inner inline orifice near the flame tip to provide the sufficient heat to the thermocouple tip during normal operation of the water heater. A bad gas valve will not allow any gas to go to the burner or pilot light. A leaky water heater could be the result of a faulty t p temperature and pressure relief valve or a leak from a nearby plumbing connection or even the tank itself.

Depending on where the leak occurs you may be able to fix the problem before scrapping. If your water heater is not very old and it s not doing its job it might need an easy repair instead of a costly replacement. A replaceable part is failing. Rheem manufacturing also advises on a technical service bulletin titled submerged water heaters.

Water heaters can occasionally be repaired by replacing a few key elements. The main reason for installing new units is damage to the tank as this cannot be repaired. A leak does not always doom a hot water tank. The unit is less than ten years old.

If your water heater has been under water an inch or more the sensitive safety components have likely been damaged beyond repair. Answer when flooding damages your water heater for the safety of your home and family repair is never recommended. Due to the conductivity of water along with its corrosive properties all the operational controls are rendered unsafe. If you have had your water heater for 10 years or more you may find it more cost effective to simply install a new unit rather than paying for repairs.