Your household relies more on your water heater than you may realize. However, once you consider that your household uses the water heater for showering, hand washing, laundry, dishes, and so much more, you will begin to gain much more respect for the unit. This is why you want to have a good understanding of some of the problems they commonly have, so you can immediately recognize when the water heater needs maintenance, repairs, or even replacement. Here are some potential issues you want to know about: 

Water leaks can mean big problems

There are a lot of different possibilities if you find water around the water heater. There may be a leaking valve that needs to be replaced. There may be a drain valve that either needs to be closed properly or completely replaced. There may be a ball valve that needs to have a nut tightened. Or, the tank itself may be leaking due to anything from rust to damage, and if the tank itself is leaking, then this indicates that you likely need to have the water heater completely replaced. 

Not getting hot water can mean many things

Just as with a leak, there can also be a lot of different reasons why you might not be able to get much hot water out of the tank, or even any hot water at all. If you suddenly find there is no hot water, it could just be a tripped fuse, or it may need to be reset by pressing the red reset button on the tank. The thermocoupler might need to be replaced and/or the pilot light may need to be relit. If the problem is that the hot water keeps running out too quickly, then you might need to have a larger water heater put in that better accommodates the hot water needs of your entire household. An alternative to a larger water heater can be to have a tankless on-demand water heater put in. 

There is suddenly noises coming from your water heater

You'll know when your water heater begins making noise because it won't be subtle, so you will be able to hear it when you are within relatively close proximity to the unit. It can make growling, grumbling, and banging noises. When it does, you'll need to have it drained to flush out sediment, then it will be refilled, and the noises should be gone.

For more information about gas water heaters, contact a local professional.