Over the past few years, heaters in the home have become increasingly popular. They are a very effective way of keeping any home warm safely and conveniently. However, if you are not careful with the way you care for them, you might find them to increase the heating costs in the home dramatically. This increase is particularly noticeable if your water heater has a significant problem, such as leaking. One of the problems you might run into when using the heaters is isolating some of these problems. For instance, if the heater leaks, it might be days or weeks for you to notice the problem. Fortunately, there is an algorithm you can use to identify and sort out such issues.
Identifying Heater Leaks
The best way to identify a leak in the water heater is through a visual inspection. You should look at the water heater and find out if there is any water around it. However, this process requires the correct technique, lest you end up coming to the wrong conclusions. Some of the tips you can use when doing this include:
• Figure out if the wetness is intermittent: If you find that the area around the heater is not constantly wet, it could result from condensation rather than leakage. This condensation is especially common in cold months, during which the water coming into the heater will be very cold and cause condensation around the pipes. This situation also means that to determine the presence of a leak effectively, you will need to check the heater tank regularly.
• Assess how much water is leaking: Finding a lot of water around the heater might indicate a significant leak, in which case you would need to get help in sorting it out as a matter of urgency. Ignoring such a leak for too long could increase the cost of running the home since you would waste a lot of water and energy.
• Make sure the leak is not from another source: For instance, if pipes are running close to the heater, check them for leak before assuming that the leak is from the heater.
• Check the contact points: Most heaters leak at points of contact where pipes lead to and from the heater. Some of these areas include the inlet pipe, the outlet, and any valves that might be present. If you suspect a leak, you should check these areas first for signs of moisture or rust.
Steps To Take After Locating A Leak
If you find a leak whose source is your pipes, you’ll need to stop the water flow. You can staunch the flow by shutting both the inlet and outlet valves, and turning off the power supply to the heater. Most electric heaters have a circuit breaker or an on-off switch that you can flip. You might need to consult the user manual to learn how to do this if you have never done so before. However, this process is a generally straightforward procedure. If you have a gas water heater, you need to shut down the gas supply.
Doing all the above is to minimize the potential damage associated with the leak, mainly if it’s a significant leak. For instance, a large leak could result in water being spread everywhere in the basement, leading to problems such as electrical fires and damage to other structures in the facility.
You will need to stop using the heater also means that you should have it repaired as fast as possible. This fact is especially true if you find the leak during the winter. This time is when you will depend on the heater for your health and comfort. In such cases, you might need to make alternative arrangements to keep the house warm by using portable heaters.
Call An Expert For Heater Repair
You might feel the temptation to fix such a leak on your own by either intuition or by getting guides online. This move might seem affordable, but it’s one that you should avoid at all costs. Remember, heaters are very expensive and sometimes delicate pieces of equipment. Attempting to fix a leak that comes directly from the heater might lead to further damage to the unit or even injury to yourself.
Instead, you should consult a plumbing contractor to sort out the issue for you. You can always count on the experts to respond fast and work quickly, which means that you won’t need to have the heater switched off for too long. Therefore, they should be your first choice when you need assistance with a leak.