Don’t you just hate it when your hot water heater breaks down, especially when the weather’s starting to get cold?
Cold showers and cold tap water are one of the uncomfortable things that people shouldn’t have to deal with in their everyday lives, so it’s important that you maintain your water heater, or have it fixed as soon as possible if it breaks down.
You’ll know when your water heater stops working. Your shower and faucets start to get cold faster than normal, no hot water at all, a little rust in the water, or even lower than average water pressure.
For some of these issues, you’ll have to call a professional to help you out with water heater repair in Los Angeles, troubleshooting, or possibly replacing your system. Make sure to call an expert like Reckon & Reckon who can troubleshoot accurately and can determine if your system needs to be replaced or if it can be repaired (saving you potentially thousands of dollars).
To get more information on water heater regulator repair and installation in Los Angeles, call us at 877-473-2566 or Contact Us for a free quote on getting your water heater fixed today.
What are Water Heaters, Anyway?
Water heaters are machines that are built to heat water. Simple enough, right?
There are two main types of water heater tanks that work very differently to achieve the same result.
Tankless Water Heaters: Mounted on your boiler and does not store hot water. It heats what’s needed when you need it. While this may help save money by not having to maintain large volumes of hot water, it can be inefficient in warmer months since your boiler needs to fire in order to get warm water. We provide tankless water heater repair, replacement, and installation in Los Angeles.
Tank-Type Water Heaters: Works by filling an insulated hot water tank with water and then heating the water and storing inside until use. It may seem inefficient to store hot water and keep it hot when not in use, but the large draw to tank storage water heaters is that you’ll get hot water on demand and not have to worry about ‘running out’ of hot water. We also provide tank-type water heater repair, replacement, and installation in Los Angeles.
And on top of that, there are two power source types for tank-type heaters:
Electric Water Heaters: Uses electricity to heat a coil inside the water tank. The rule of thumb is that these heat up faster than fuel-fired water heaters, but cost more to operate.
Fuel-Fired Water Heaters(also referred to as gas water heaters): Uses a gas burner underneath the tank to heat up the water in the insulated tank.
Hot Water Heater Expansion Tanks
When water is heated up, it expands due to thermal expansion. Thermal expansion tanks, more commonly called hot water heater expansion tanks, are safety devices that give that extra water a place to go and to help relieve pressure on your hot water heater that could lead to leaks, weakened pipes, and a number of other issues. If your home or business has a closed plumbing system, you may have a lot of pressure in your pipes from your hot water heater. If that is the case, you want to avoid the chance of damage to the system over time. We can work with you at your Los Angeles home or business to reduce the pressure on your plumbing system through a hot water heater expansion tank installation. Calling us at Reckon & Reckon is the first step toward getting the issue solved.
What Causes Water Heaters to Break?
Age – As with all things, your water heater will break down as it gets older. You never know when your heater is going to end up conking out, but a rule of thumb for hot water heater life expectancy is generally around eight to twelve years. It could end up functioning for 20 years if you are careful with its use and diligent with its maintenance. So if your heater’s around eight years old and you sense it acting up, it may be time to get some help from a water heater repair specialist in Los Angeles.
Rust – Your heater rusts too. Water heaters have magnesium rods to absorb most of the rust, but if they’re not replaced regularly, the water tank may start to rust itself. You’ll know if your heater has rusted through and corroded when you notice a puddle dripping under it. When that happens, there’s usually no way to deal with it other than to replace that heater.
Sediment buildup – You’re likely drawing your water from beneath the ground, so naturally, there’s going to be some sediment and dirt mixed in with it. Your water filter will usually catch most of it, but there may be some that get through and clog your heater’s drain valve.
Thermostat – If your heater isn’t giving you hot water, or if it’s even just giving you lukewarm water when you turn it all the way up, the thermostat may be what’s broken. Sometimes it’s age that causes thermostats and their corresponding parts to break down.
How To Maintain Your Water Heater
Let’s say your heater isn’t broken yet, or it’s not malfunctioning too terribly. Here are a few water heater maintenance tips on how to prolong its life:
Always inspect your heater – Check your heater regularly to make sure it’s running fine. What you want to look for are puddles that would indicate leakage.
Buy a leak detector – While we’re talking about leaks, you may also want to invest in a water heater leak detector. They’re not expensive, and can easily tell you when your heater’s tank is leaking without you having to always look for puddles.
Flush your heater regularly – Regularly here means at least once every year. Flushing the water inside it makes sure you get rid of buildup that could cause clogging and rusting.
Call 877-473-2566 or Send us a Message for Your Free Quote Today
Repairing or Replacing A Water Heater in Los Angeles
If your water heater’s got an issue and you don’t need to replace it yet, then the best option is to fix it. You can either do it yourself if you know how to go about fixing your water heater, but if you’re not an expert then you may have to hire or consult with a water heater repair plumbing specialist in Los Angeles at the very least.
If your water heater’s got an issue, you might not need to replace it! You should consult a trained professional to see if you actually need your water heater replaced of if you can just have your water heater repaired by a plumber.
Why You Should Consider Hiring a Plumber
- You get expert professional opinion backed by training and experience
- They know the best way to fix your water heater and plumbing
- Repairing your water heater or plumbing yourself may cause even more damage and expenses
Give Us A Call
If you need a plumber to take a look at or fix your water heater, or even to help replace it, then look no further than Reckon & Reckon Plumbing. We have almost a hundred years and four generations’ worth of experience repairing water heaters in Los Angeles, so there’s no doubt that we’re water heater experts.
When you call us in for any and all plumbing issues, we will not leave until you are satisfied with our work.
For almost a century, we’ve been servicing residential and commercial water heaters the various neighborhoods of Southern California, including Los Angeles, Van Nuys, Newhall, Saugus, and Burbank, Woodland Hills among others.
We’re the best plumbers you can call in SoCal and the LA area–so if you need help with your water heater repair in Los Angeles, give us a call today! We can give you a free estimate when you do, and we can handle emergencies at no extra charge!
