If the hot water cylinder is drained, then it will take at least 3 hours to heat again. If the water heater is new, or if you’ve just moved into a new home and aren’t familiar with the water heater’s capability, it’s likely that the unit is undersized. 5. Issues with this item are found in the article, 'Checking Pressure Relief Valves'. In many instances, merely relighting the gas water heater will solve the problem. The thermocouple is a sensor that tells the gas valve when to allow gas to flow to the burner. A tank that is leaking is not good news. A garden hose and a pair of pliers is all you need. If you find yourself in this situation, there are usually three common culprits: a broken dip tube, a buildup of … Problem: No Hot Water The pressure relief valve very rarely leaks in the true sense of the word. No gas, no hot water. Find out if you need to look through your papers for the warranty. This may be caused by the gas valve, the gas supply, or—more likely—the thermocouple located next to the pilot light. Gas hot water systems must also be located outside, or have an exhaust vent if they are located inside. Additionally, the chimney that the vent is attached to, can be clogged. Take a look at the possible problems below. Others may require some work. Go to your cook top, oven, gas heater or gas BBQ (that is connected to the gas supply). It could mean a reduced amount of hot water. Possible reasons for water taking a long time to heat include faulty heating elements, sediment build-up on the elements and a faulty thermostat. There's a number of reasons your hot water has turned cold, and in many cases you can fix the problem yourself with a few small maintenance tasks which wont require the need for a professional plumber. When the metal is gone the steel core and your tank start to rust, thus discoloring the water. Sediment can build up in the bottom of your hot water heater over time. No Hot Water — Gas Water Heater. A clogged or partially clogged vent can cause this problem. Unfortunately, propane water heaters aren’t very cut-and-dry (and not just because they hold water!). Minerals in the water, even city water can build up over the life of the water heater. Learn what you need to do to get rid of the sediment inside your hot water tank. This is a common do it yourself repair that you will probably be willing to attempt. There are two types of vents for gas hot water heaters. See the article 'Water Heater Sediment' and 'Flushing a Hot Water Tank' for more information. A chemical is added to alert people to a gas build up. It also uses an integral thermostat to know when more heat is needed. Was running it on electric only yesterday. Make sure the demand does not exceed the capacity of the water heater. With standard pilot light water heaters: Turn the gas control knob to the PILOT setting, then depress the button and hold it there. Therefore the water heater gas valve has safety devices built in. Especially if the circuit breaker clicks off immediately. Natural and propane gas can explode. The anode rod has metal in it that is supposed to oxidize in place of the steel in your tank. You definitely would not want to wake up on a cold winter day with your hot water system not working properly. Gas hot water heater troubleshooting guide will assume that the gas unit was correctly sized, professionally installed, per codes and manufacturers' instructions. If you have a conventional system and have a problem with your hot water heater not working, then you may need to make sure that there is water in your header tank. Never attempt a repair unless you have turned the gas off and are thoroughly familiar with safe working practices. Some things can be tightened to stop the leaks. WARNING!! In this scenario whoever carried out the work should be the first to investigate the issue. If the vent is clogged or partially clogged the burner may not be working efficiently. This type of valve has a useful lifespan that is shorter than other types of valves. Due to the mechanical nature of gas water heaters, the symptoms are clearly evident even when they are not major issues. The other less common problem would be the gas valve. While you may run into some of these problems with both gas and electric hot water heaters, a few are unique to electric ones specifically. If for some reason gas is allowed to escape without being ignited, you can get an explosive situation. Read through that information before you proceed. A worn out thermocouple is one of the most common gas water heater problems When thermocouples wear out, the pilot light goes out, the burner won’t light, and you will have no hot water. When they go bad the will not allow the gas valve to release any gas. 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