This is no fun, is it? You turn on the shower in the morning and wait for the water to heat up. And you wait and you wait and you wait. It seems like Godot is more likely to show up before you get hot water.
You can stop waiting because it’s likely you’ve got a water heater problem that won’t simply go away if you’re patient. That’s not how water heaters work. We’ll take a look at some of the reasons you’ve got a lack of hot water and whether you need to call our team for water heater repair in Arlington, VA.
1. Gas Flow Problems
If you have a gas-powered water heater (and statistics show that you probably do), one of the basic causes of not having any hot water is that there’s no gas flowing to the burners. Check the water heater and listen for the sound of the gas jets igniting.
On older systems, you may be able to look inside to see the blue glow of the flames. Stuck gas valves can cause this problem or perhaps the gas has been shut off elsewhere. If you can’t turn the gas back on yourself, call for help—you don’t want to tamper with a gas appliance on your own.
2. Failed Ignition or Pilot Light
Newer gas water heaters don’t have a standing pilot light to ignite the burners but instead they have an electronic ignition system. If this breaks or burns out, the burners won’t light and a safety mechanism will shut off gas flow to the burners. You’ll need professionals to replace the old ignition system. If you have an older unit with a pilot light, check if the pilot has gone out and attempt to relight it.
3. Tripped Circuit Breakers
Now we’re taking a look at the electric water heater because plenty of people have those. The heating elements inside the tank may overheat and trip the circuit breaker to the water heater, leaving you with no hot water. Check if the circuit breaker has been tripped and reset it if it has. If the water heater keeps tripping the circuit breaker, we recommend calling us for help. Something is wrong with the heating elements that keep causing this.
4. Water Leaks in the Supply Line
Any type of water leak is a major problem for a water heater and needs repairs. In this case, a water leak in the supply line means that no hot water is getting into the tank to be heated up. Look around the water heater to find if there’s water puddling. If there is, call for assistance immediately. A large leak like this often means the water heater needs to be completely replaced.
5. Old Water Heater
You may simply have an ancient water heater that has at last failed. If your water heater is more than 20 years old, we recommend you have our technicians examine it to see if it’s time to have it replaced.
And while Mr. Godot may keep sending messages that he’s coming tomorrow, you can trust that we’ll always be there when you need us, whether for hot water repair or to work on your HVAC system.
Rely on B&B Air Conditioning & Heating Service: We are always there when you need us.