Why Experience, Equipment, And Testing Make Our Water Heater Repair Something You Can Rely On | Cibolo, TX
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Factors that determine your water heater’s service life, repair frequency, and performance are all part of our water heater repair strategy at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio. We know that our experience and understanding of water heaters can make the difference between a quick fix and the right repair. For example, if your electric water heater in Cibolo, TX trips the circuit breaker, resetting the breaker could restore your hot water for a time. If the breaker keeps tripping, though, resetting is not a viable solution, and a professional repair is needed to protect the unit and even perhaps avoid leaks and damage to your property. Our skilled plumbers perform focused, expert diagnosis and targeted repairs when you need them. We also offer experienced maintenance that keeps your water heater functioning at peak performance, optimizes your unit’s service life, and provides the best quality hot water. We have the right water heater experience, evaluation equipment, and testing gear to do our water heater repair work right.
Temperature Measurement
Measuring water and pipe temperatures for tank-based water heaters can help our water heater repair team determine if there’s a problem with the thermostat and heater combination or setting, which could produce risks of hygiene problems if the water temperature is too low, or scalding concerns and even tank pressure problems if the temperature is too high. The typical temperature setting should be 120 degrees F, the EPA recommended middle ground. Measuring air temperature nearby, external tank temperature, and pipe temperatures can help guide insulation efforts to reduce heat loss from the tank and along the way to the faucets and appliances, especially helpful if the water heater is in an unheated space that can get cool or cold at times. Measuring the tank temperature at several points can also help determine if a dual heater unit is only running with one heater, warming just half the tank’s water.
Water Quality Measurement
Convenient handheld devices allow water heater repair technicians to measure water quality parameters on the spot, which is critical for all types of water heaters and also for your overall plumbing and appliance health. Hard water has two negative effects on water heaters, the corrosion of metals such as the tank in standard or hybrid water heaters, and layers of sediment composed of minerals in hard water that gather at the bottom of tank-based water heaters and also in the valves, pipes, and inlets of your tankless water heater. These can cause problems in the operation of any water heater, requiring periodic flushing by our water heater repair specialist. Corrosion in tank-based water heaters is a major concern because the condition of the tank is the biggest factor in the unit’s service life. Once the tank walls are weakened, the unit is no longer safe to operate, with a risk of leaks and even explosions under the right circumstances.
An excellent solution for hard water problems is the installation of a water softener or water filter to improve the home’s overall water quality and reduce the effects of corrosion and sediment deposits from the minerals in hard water, which can even make your coffee maker hard to clean. Tank-based hard water heaters also have a component called an anode rod, a piece of metal that plays a role in balancing the condition of the water in the tank. This helps avoid corrosion from hard water and has an additional effect of making the water in the tankless hospitable for bacteria growth, which can show as a foul odor coming from the hot water faucets as the water flows. The anode rod sacrifices material over time to do its job, so it needs to be replaced, typically at a maintenance visit by our water heater repair experts. They will take the opportunity to check the condition of the tank as well, making sure that corrosion has not progressed too far. They can help you understand how long it is likely to be before the unit needs replacing, especially if it’s already over ten years old.
Built-In Test Equipment in Some Newer Types of Water Heaters
Like many modern appliances, hybrid and tankless water heaters have control electronics that help them operate efficiently. These systems monitor safety parameters, sensors, and other conditions and adjust performance according to the measurements they make. In a hybrid water heater, for example, the control system may change the heat source to a backup electric heater if the heat pump system isn’t able to transfer enough heat to the water in the tank, usually due to a low ambient temperature. In the tankless water heater, the sensors allow the control system to monitor water flow and “wake up” the heater when water starts to pass through the unit, corresponding to an open faucet or valve somewhere in the house where someone is trying to take a shower or run the dishwasher.
Other sensors monitor temperature and pressure in these units and even air pressure on tankless units to make sure that venting is occurring properly on gas-fired units. Our water heater repair personnel can diagnose and repair problems based on the self-reported data from the control electronics, and also sometimes test sensors individually to determine if they are malfunctioning. Even with the advanced electronics, water heater repair personnel still need to understand how each type of system works to be most effective in water heater repair and maintenance strategies.
Your Water Heater Technology Experts in Cibolo, TX
The knowledge and skill of our water heater team at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio is amazing. They can not only diagnose and repair problems in advanced equipment but perform tests and maintenance to keep your water heater in Cibolo, TX running efficiently as long as possible, no matter what type of unit it is. Call us also to recommend replacements or technology changes and perform skillful water heater installation.
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