Question: Do I need a new water heater if the water sometimes comes out rusty?
Answer: In most cases the rusty water can be from old pipes coming in to the water heater. If this happens, the first thing you should do is drain some water out of the water heater from the drain valve at the bottom. This will flush out the sediment and rust that has settled to the bottom. If you have all copper pipes coming from the meter and in the house, the rust can be a sign of the inner glass lining of the heater starting to fail and the metal shell starting to rust. Have a plumber check it out to determine the problem.
Question: My water heater is leaking water out of the relief valve pipe. What is causing this?
Answer: It is possible that the relief valve is starting to fail and should be replaced. Another cause is thermal expansion. This happens when the water heater heats up and the water expands causing a short burst of high pressure making the relief valve pop off. If a Thermal Expansion Tank is installed in the water line, this will allow for hot water expansion.
Question: Can I replace my electric water heater with a gas water heater?
Answer: In most cases there is a good chance that a gas water heater can be installed. A gas unit requires an exhaust vent. The standard is to vent through the roof. This requires cutting through the ceilings, floors above and the roof. Another way is to use a sealed combustion power vent type. These can be vented directly out through a sidewall. They vent and draw fresh air from the outside typically using PVC pipe. In both types, you will have to bring a gas line from either the meter or another existing line if it is big enough to handle the demand.
Question: The pilot on my water heater won’t stay lit. What could cause this to happen?
Answer: On standard gas water heaters a heat sensor such as a thermal couple controls the pilot. This is a copper looking tube that goes from the gas control valve back in to the pilot. It’s probe should be positioned in the pilot flame. If it is working properly it will sense the heat from the pilot and hold the pilot valve open and the pilot will continue to burn. Over time they fail and should be replaced if the pilot won’t stay lit.
If it still won’t stay lit, consult a plumber for a more extensive diagnosis.
Question: Sometimes I hear water dripping on the burner of the water heater after we do wash or take showers. It always seems to stop, but what is causing this?
Answer: When a lot of hot water is used at one time, the water in the tank gets cold enough that the air in the vent that goes up through the middle of the water heater condenses and drips down on to the burners. As the water heats up, the condensing stops and won’t do it again until you use enough water to lower the temperature in the tank substantially.
