Repair a failed water heater is not very difficult if you can find the right service provider.
The water heater is a sanitary device that produces hot water in a house. In the event of improper maintenance, the hot water tank can be damaged quickly and break down. The most frequent breakdowns are a leak in the tank or the safety group, an electric circuit breaker that blows up, a hot water failure, or even dirty or smelly water. Discover the guide to hot water tank breakdowns and the solutions to test and repair your water heater.
Repairing a hot water tank
A hot water tank can run on electricity or gas. But, whatever its mode of feeding, the principle of operation remains the same. It consists of a tank and a thermostat. Depending on the mode of supply, there is then a resistance or a gas burner to produce domestic hot water. To be able to repair your hot water tank, it is important to know how this equipment works. Breakdowns can, therefore, affect various elements of the cumulus, from the leak of the tank to the heating system. Here is an overview of the different hot water tanks and the breakdowns that can affect them.
Repair an electric water heater
Your electric storage water heater works on a simple principle: cold water fills the tank then the resistance heats the water to a certain temperature. This temperature can be adjusted at the thermostat according to your needs. Hot water is available on-demand and leaves by the hot water supply to your shower and your tap.
There are two generations of hot water tanks: the armored water heater (armored resistance immersed in water) and the soapstone water heater (resistance protected by a sheath). Other models are equipped with an anti-scaling and anti-corrosion system to further protect this equipment. Depending on the resistance of your hot water tank, the repair steps may vary. Indeed, it is not compulsory to drain a soapstone water heater to remove the resistance for example.
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each heating system :
- The armored resistance immersed directly in the tank: heats faster costs less but is more fragile.
- The soapstone resistance protected by a water filter: heats slower, is more resistant but costs more.
Here are the mandatory steps to diagnose a water heater failure and make repairs :
- When repairing a hot water tank, the first thing to do is to turn off the electricity to avoid the risk of electric shock. The cumulus must be turned off before any troubleshooting operation.
- Likewise, the water supply must be shut off in the event of a leak. You will certainly have to unscrew certain fittings or remove the security group. Turning off the general water supply to your home will allow you to make repairs easily.
- Then locate the fault and equip yourself with the appropriate equipment (keys and pliers for plumbing fittings, multimeter to test the power supply, etc.). Once this is done, you must then repair your hot water tank.
Repair a gas hot water tank
As with gas boilers, the regulations require the overhaul and maintenance of a gas water heater every year by a qualified craftsman. Despite this, a problem may be preventing the production of hot water: gas water heater that no longer lights, no hot water flowing from taps, etc.
It is strongly recommended that you do not attempt to repair a gas hot water tank yourself. Indeed, gas is a particularly unstable volatile matter. Any repair on a gas water heater must be carried out by an approved and certified gas professional.
Hot water tank failures
Failures affecting hot water tanks can, therefore, affect any element of the water heater. Resistance passing through the tank or the seals, all failures are possible. To detect the cause of the fault, observe the symptoms and dismantle certain parts if necessary. A professional will quickly see what it is exactly.
Different failures can affect the operation of your water heater. Depending on the fault, you will know if it is possible to overhaul your hot water tank or if changing it is compulsory. Here are the different possible failures of a hot water tank:
- The water leak; It may be at the level of the security group, the tank or the seals. If water comes into contact with the electrical connections of the water heater, the circuit breaker blows to protect the home. In the event of a tank leak, no repair is possible and replacement of the electric water heater is necessary.
- The scaling: this is probably the leading cause of failure of cumulus. Indeed, where there is water, there is tartar which forms. In time, the tartar paralyzes the elements of the water heater and causes the breakdown. It is advisable to empty the tank every year and to descale your appliance every 5 years to avoid any inconvenience.
- The corrosion after several years of use, the contact between the water and some parts of the water heater can reveal corrosion. Especially because of limestone and tartar. If your electric cumulus is not equipped with anti-corrosion protection, corrosion can then lead to a water leak at the level of the tank or to rusty or brown water.
- The resistance for an electric water heater: in this case, the water is no longer heated. The procedures will not be the same to replace an armored resistor and a soapstone resistor. It is not mandatory to empty the tank of a soapstone or ACI hybrid water heater to replace the resistance. You must contact the manufacturer’s customer service to order a new heater for your electric water heater.
- The thermostat: the thermostat allows you to adjust the water heating temperature. Like any electrical appliance, it can break down and must be replaced, otherwise, the water will no longer heat up. If your water heater is properly supplied with electricity but no longer produces hot water, the fault is certainly localized at the thermostat.
If you observe a slight and regular leak at the safety group installed on your storage water heater, this is most often normal behavior. If this flow of water occurs during the heating period of the equipment, this flow is normal because it makes it possible to reduce the pressure of the hot water inside the tank. The installation of a pressure regulator on the water heater network is also necessary to prevent slight leaks.
How to troubleshoot a leaking cumulus? How to repair a broken hot water tank? An electric or gas water heater that leaks or no longer works require troubleshooting. Plumbing, electrical or even more watertight tank failure, possible causes of hot water tank failure.
Diagnose an electric water heater failure
It is possible to self-diagnose a fault or problem on an electric water heater. This operation requires you to take safety precautions before starting work. You also need to equip yourself with a few tools such as screwdrivers, open-end wrenches, and a multimeter.
To help you identify the type of fault, here are the steps to follow to correctly test the various possible problems of an electric hot water tank:
- First of all, cut the electric current by deactivating the main circuit breaker on the electrical panel.
- Check the tightness of the elements of the water heater as well as the fittings of the installation. No water drop should be visible at the electrical connections or fittings. The presence of water on the power supply terminal blocks causes lead sinkers, for example. This step allows you to identify any leaks in the tank or plumbing fittings.
- If your cumulus is well sealed, you must continue the tests by checking the water supply to the water heater. A running water heater must always be supplied with cold water. To do this, check that the general water supply is not cut off and that the safety group shut-off valve is not closed.
- Finally, if the fault does not come from your appliance, check the electrical supply to the water heater using a multimeter. To do this, restore the power supply and test the household current.
Price of a repair for hot water tank
How much does it cost to troubleshoot a broken hot water tank? What is the price of repairing a faulty electric water heater? The price of a repair for the hot water tank is variable. You have to take into account various factors before you can establish a price. Besides, you may have chosen to hire a professional water heater installation company. In this case, the price will be indicated in its quote. Again, different criteria will come into play to establish the final price. Finally, we will show you the average price of a repair by a heating engineer so that you have an idea of the prices charged.
Price factor of a hot water tank repair
Repairing or repairing a hot water tank requires the intervention of a plumber-heater in your home. The amount invoiced by this building professional may vary from simple to double depending on several factors.
The price of repairing your hot water tank will depend on the type of appliance you have, electric or gas, the region where you live, the professional you are talking to, and the nature of the failure. Each part to be replaced does not require the same work and does not cost the same price. The accessibility of cumulus must also be taken into account to determine a fair price.
Water heater repair quote
When you call a professional to come and help you out, the repair will take place in several stages. It will first test your hot water tank to diagnose the failure. If it is a seal to be changed, it may do so immediately. But in the vast majority of cases, the professional will have to order the part with the precise reference from its supplier and come back a second time to put it in place.
All this is an integral part of the quote that he will give you before starting the intervention. Inside, you will find travel costs which can vary from 20 € to 40 €, the hourly rate of plumbing heating engineers which fluctuates between 30 € and 60 € per hour of labor as well as the cost of the part to be replaced. On this last point, you should know that the plumber will invoice the part with a margin of about 30% to 40% compared to the supplier price.
Since repair work must be carried out as quickly as possible, many professionals charge high prices. If you have the possibility, you must compare at least 2 quotes. To easily find a professional who will repair your electric or gas water heater, you just need to request a quote. Qualified craftsmen will contact you to arrange an appointment with you and offer you their quote.