Winter is a season that brings plenty of cold weather. This means you’ll likely want your home to be a sanctuary where you can keep warm. While this mainly consists of keeping the air warm, you’ll also want to have hot water available to you. This means you’ll need to have a functional water heater. Unfortunately, winter can sometimes bring issues to your water heater that could stop it from working. Here are water heater problems that could potentially occur during the winter season.
Mineral and Sediment Buildup
This is one of the most common causes for water heater problems in people’s homes. When your water heater has mineral and sediment buildup, it can cause your pipes to leak, make your water heater noisier, or possibly change the temperature of the water that’s inside.
While buildup like this can occur at any point during the year, it’s most common during winter. When this happens, the sediment that’s inside saps heat away from the water heater, making the water cooler. This is why your water heater tank should be flushed yearly to prevent excess accumulation of sediment.
No Insulation
Water heaters need to have insulation so they can endure the cold of winter, especially if your water heater isn’t kept in an enclosed place like a shed or garage. When water heaters aren’t insulated, it’s easy for heat to escape from them. This makes it harder to conserve heat, while also raising your energy bill since you’ll need more energy to heat your water.
Malfunctioning Pieces
Another of the water heater problems you could experience is malfunctioning pieces. Because the weather is colder during winter, your water heater will need to work harder to produce the necessary heat. This can wear down the components of your heater. Eventually, these components can get worn down enough that they’ll need to be replaced. For gas heaters, keep watch on the pilot, the pilot control valve, and the thermocouple. For electric variants, you should monitor the heating elements and thermostat.
For Water Heater Repairs, Call Master Plumbing
Give Master Plumbing a call at (301) 650-9100, or contact us online to get more information on how our expert plumbers can help you with just about anything plumbing-related! We have received Angie’s List Super Service Award recognition for plumbing and drain cleaning every year since 2007, in addition to the Best Plumber award from Best of Bethesda. We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured, and our service is unparalleled. Give us a call today—you won’t regret it! To see examples of our projects, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!