The water heater in your home is one of its most important appliances. This is because it supplies clean, heated water for bathing, cleaning and a variety of other purposes necessary for a thriving household. Unfortunately, your water heater can fail unexpectedly, and for a variety of reasons. If your home uses an electric water heater, the water is heated by electrodes placed in the tank. As the electrodes cycle through various temperatures, they build up scale and other deposits. These deposits can cause the electrodes to corrode and, eventually, break or short circuit. Shorted electrodes in Hot Water Heaters can lead to overheated water and an eventual tripping of a temperature safety regulator. This can continue until the unit is repaired or replaced.
Another common failure in water heaters occurs from age. Older water heaters have little or no lining, while newer tanks may have a glass or metal lining. Glass is considered to be the best. Either of these linings can break and allow corrosion of the tank. A leaking tank can cause a lot of damage if the water heater is stored in an attic or interior storage closet. Another problem homeowners may experience is lime or calcium deposits building up inside the tank. These often interfere with gas heated tanks because the lime and scale in the bottom of the tank block the water from the heated surface. It can also interfere with electric tanks by blocking the electrodes as well.
An alternative to the common storage based water heater is the tankless, or in-line, water heating system. These units heat water on the fly using high temperatures and small, internal storage areas. They can be used as a replacement for tank based systems or as a supplement to your current hot water heater. One benefit to using this type of system is the ability to use as many tankless units as your home needs. For example, you can have one for the kitchen or utility usage, and another for the bathroom. This would allow one family member to enjoy a luxurious hot bath while another is cleaning or cooking. If you are in need of repair or replacement for your Hot Water Heaters, be sure to contact an expert like M.A. Williams Inc. Drain Cleaning & Plumbing. Or you can visit their Facebook page.
