No Hot Water? No Problem

11 August 2015
 Categories: , Blog


A problem with your plumbing can cost you a lot of comfort and money, especially if it goes unfixed for a long time. However, hiring a plumber can also be an expensive endeavor. To help you determine whether your problem requires the services of a plumber, here are some simple tips on how to troubleshoot a very important part of plumbing: hot water.

Is your water heater broken?

If you aren't getting any hot water in the house, then there are two possible problems. Either there is a problem with the pipes or a problem with the heater itself.

An easy way to tell the difference is to turn the house heating on and see if it works.

A Broken Heater

Most water heaters are connected to the central heating system, which means that a broken heater results in a nonfunctional water heater. If the problem is with your heater, check the circuit breaker first. A power outage might have flipped the breaker recently. If you still can't figure the problem out, then you probably need to hire a pro. Tinkering with a heater on your own can be incredibly dangerous due to the massive amounts of heat and electricity that are involved.

A Pipe Problem

If you do have heating but no hot water, then you probably have a pipe problem, such as a clog or leak. Check to see if every faucet and shower is affected or if the problem is limited to certain rooms. If only one room is affected, then there might be a blockage or leak in the hot water pipe in that room. If quite a few rooms are affected, then the clog/leak might be much closer to the hot water heater. In either case, it can be difficult to determine exactly where the problem is in the pipe, but not impossible. It is not recommended that you open up your pipes unless you have the proper experience. However, if you can narrow down where the problem is, you can direct your plumber to the location and save yourself time and money.

The Added Danger of Leaks

Finally, you will want to be extra careful if you suspect a leak. A leaky pipe will lead to an accumulation of moisture, often in an area with poor ventilation. Combined, these environmental factors lead to an ideal breeding ground for potentially dangerous fungi. Additionally, leaky pipes can produce quite a bit of water damage to the surrounding area.

To learn more, contact a company like A Absolute Plumbing & Heating


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