Water Heater Not Heating? Common Causes in Fairfield

"Not heating" can mean a few different things, and each points somewhere different.

- No hot water at all. The heat source has stopped: the pilot is out, the burner will not light, or the electric elements have no power. - Lukewarm water. The unit is heating, but not enough.

A thermostat set too low, a failed upper or lower element, or a broken dip tube are common causes.

- Hot water runs out fast. Often sediment taking up space at the bottom of the tank, a failed lower element on an electric unit, or a heater that is simply too small for the household now.

- Popping or rumbling from the tank. Almost always sediment. Water trapped under the mineral layer boils and pops as the burner or element heats it.

On a gas tank water heater, a no-heat problem usually comes down to the ignition system.

If the pilot light is out, the manufacturer's relighting steps are printed on the label on the tank.

If the pilot lights but goes out as soon as you release the control knob, the thermocouple or flame sensor is the usual suspect: it is the safety device that shuts the gas off when it does not sense a

flame.

If the pilot stays lit but the main burner will not come on, the gas control valve may have failed.

If you smell gas at any point, stop. Do not try to relight anything. Leave the house and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.

On an electric unit, check the breaker first. A water heater on its own double breaker that has tripped once may just need resetting.

If it trips again, something is shorting, usually a heating element, and it needs a professional diagnosis.

Electric tank heaters have two elements, each with its own thermostat. When the upper element fails, you get no hot water. When the lower element fails, you get a small amount of hot water that runs out quickly.

Many units also have a high-limit reset button behind the upper access panel. That panel exposes live wiring, so testing elements and thermostats is a job for a licensed plumber.

Before assuming a part has failed, check the setting. Someone may have turned it down. The U.S. Department of Energy's Home Energy Checklist recommends setting a water heater to the warm setting, 120°F, to save energy and avoid scalding.

The same checklist notes that water heating can account for 14% to 25% of the energy used in a home, so a heater that runs inefficiently shows up on your utility bill.

If the dial is already at 120°F and the water is noticeably cooler than that, the thermostat or a heating component is the likelier culprit.

Fairfield and much of Solano County have relatively hard water. As the tank heats, minerals settle out and collect on the bottom.

That layer insulates the water from the burner on a gas unit, overheats the tank floor, and on electric units can bury and burn out the lower element.

The result is less hot water, higher bills, and a shorter life for the heater.

An annual flush drains that sediment before it builds up.

If the drain valve is old or the sediment has hardened, a flush can clog or break the valve, so it is worth having a plumber do it on older tanks.

A repair usually makes sense when: - The tank is less than about 10 years old - The tank body is not leaking - The failure is a single part, such as a thermocouple, element, thermostat, or relief valve

Replacement usually makes more sense when: - Water is leaking from the tank body or the bottom of the tank, because a leaking tank cannot be repaired - The hot water is rusty, which suggests the tank is corroding from

the inside - An older unit has needed several repairs in a short time

If yours is heading for replacement, our water heater replacement cost guide for Fairfield explains what goes into the price.

C&C Plumbing diagnoses and repairs gas and electric tank water heaters across Fairfield, Vacaville, Suisun City, and the rest of Solano County.

We test the ignition or heating circuit, thermostat, relief valve, and connections, explain what failed, and give you a free, upfront estimate before starting. Most common repairs can be finished during the first visit, and same-day service is available.

See our water heater repair service or water heater repair in Fairfield for how we handle these calls locally, and if the unit is past saving, our water heater replacement and installation service.

C&C Plumbing is licensed and insured under California contractor license 982867 and has served Solano County since 2013. The temperature and energy figures in this article come from the U.S. Department of Energy Home Energy Checklist.