Showing posts with label Repair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Repair. Show all posts
Rinnai 8.0 GPM Gas Condensing Tankless Water Heater
Your water heater leak? Oh God. Winter already, and your water heater won't work as usual. Don't worry, before you call your plumber and spend money, try this first :


Water Heater Leak Tip No.1: Find the Problem

The first step in repairing a water heater leak is assessing the unit and finding the cause of the leak.

Look around the container to find where the water is leaking from. Many water heater leaks are symptoms of a ruptured water heater tank. (The tank in the heater is a sealed container, probably made from glass.)

If the tank itself is leaking, then it is time to get a new heater. If the leak is instead coming from the piping leading in or out of the container, then that is something you can probably fix on your own.

Note: One of the reasons a water heater may leak is because the fittings are loose. Sometimes the pressure relief valve is leaky and needs replacing.

Water Heater Leak Tip No.2: Prepare for Draining

Once you have identified the problem in the outside water fittings or pressure valve, you need to take steps to shut down and drain the heater.

First, you should gather the things you will need: an adjustable wrench, bucket, dry towels, and plumbing thread.

Next, you need to disconnect the power or gas. If it is electric, switch off the main circuit breaker. Remember to place a note on the box mentioning that there is a project in action so no one accidentally turns it back on.

Shut off the gas by turning the gas dial to the off position. Switch off the water inputs.

Water Heater Leak Tip No.3: Get Inside

Empty the tank into the bucket and dry the fittings with the towels. Now that the tank is empty and secure, you can loosen, reapply the plumbing thread or tape to the pips, and tighten the fittings.

Replace the pressure valve if needed. Make sure everything is back in its place before you turn on the water.

Next, test by turning the water inputs on. If nothing is leaking, then you have successfully learned how to repair a water heater leak–and saved yourself a boatload of cash.

Water Heater Leak Fix Tips

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Noises coming from a water heater can be caused by expanding and contracting metal parts; drips; or, more likely, minerals and hard water scale accumulations inside the tank or on an electric water heater’s heating elements. When heated, dissolved hard water minerals recrystallize and form scale that cakes onto interior surfaces of water heaters, making them less efficient and more likely to fail.

To minimize corrosive minerals through ionization, water heaters have a magnesium or aluminum anode rod, inserted through the top of the tank. To avoid scale in the first place, every few months open the drain valve at the base of the tank and flush about a gallon of water through it. See “Water Heater Maintenance” for more on this process.

Here are some common water heater sounds you might hear:

Banging, gurgling, or popping. These sounds are caused by the buildup of hard water sediment heating up and exploding inside the tank. You can flush out the tank yourself, although by the time you’re hearing this sound the sediment chunks may be too large to pass through the drain valve. If you have an electric water heater, these sounds could indicate a buildup of scale on your heating elements; it may be time to replace these.

Boiling sound. If water sounds like it is boiling inside the tank, this could indicate overheating and a dangerous pressure buildup. Call a service professional immediately.

Repair Water Heater Noises Problem

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  1. Set the temperature control to about 150 degrees F. or lower if you have no dishwasher or if you have small children or elderly people in the home who might scald themselves.
  2. To minimize the energy it takes to heat the water, insulate your water pipes if they run a long way from your heater to your faucets. Also consider installing a point-of-use water heater.
  3. Periodically check the temperature-pressure relief valve, which keeps pressure in the boiler from building up too much. Lift or lower its lever on this valve. Water should drain from the overflow pipe.

General Water Heater Tips to Gain Best Advantages

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If your water has a strange odor, first determine whether the problem is with the source water or the water heater. If you smell gas near the water heater, shut off the pilot light, close the gas shutoff valve, and call your gas utility company for assistance.


In most cases, an odor is caused by a reaction between the hot water heater’s anode rod and water that has a high concentration of sulfate. Let the hot water run for two or three minutes. If it smells a bit like rotten eggs, the anode rod may need replacement. Call in a plumber. 
If the cold water smells, the problem is more likely with your source water.

Iron, copper, and other minerals can cause discoloration in water. If the problem is with both the hot and the cold water, consider installing a whole house water filter and/or water softener. If the problem is only with the hot water, flush the water heater tank as discussed below.


How to Flush & Drain a Water Heater

Before draining and flushing your water heater, turn off the gas or electric power (depending on whether it is a gas or electric water heater) and let the water cool a little. Close the incoming water valve and attach a hose to the drain valve to run the water into a large bucket or to a drain or the outdoors. Open the drain valve and open one hot water faucet somewhere in the house to let in air. When all water has drained from the water heater, turn the cold water valve on and off until the water from the drain runs clear. Then close the drain valve and the hot water faucet, open the cold water valve, and turn the water back on.

Water Heater Repair : Water is Discolored or Smells Bad

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