A hot water system is one of the most used home appliances and a leaking hot water system can turn your daily routine into disarray. If you have developed a leak in your hot water system and want to look after the leakage until you order professional emergency plumbing services, you’ve landed on the right post. A leaking hot water system shouldn’t be neglected because water leaks only worsen over time. The lifespan of an average hot water system is about 10+ years before you need to hire a plumber and look for the problem.
If you have installed your hot water system in the backyard or any other outside location, you will not be able to detect the leak until you start running short of hot water. Many people find a leaking hot water system at this stage. If you’re one of them, follow this post to troubleshoot a leaking hot water system.
Step 1: Find the Leak .
Most common reasons for a leaking hot water system are corrosion due to hard water accumulation and a broken pressure relief valve. When it comes to corrosion, the hard water fractures the water tank and cause leakage. Some of these fractures can be mended and you may not need call for an emergency plumber service.
On the other hand, a broken pressure relief valve (PRV) or pressure temperature relief valve (PTRV) may have developed an occasional leak. Examine the PRV and PTRV and clear any blockages by lifting the lever for a few times. If the leakage doesn’t stop, you must hire a plumbing service to replace the valve.
Step 2: Turn Off the Drain Valve
Whether you own a solar, gas, or electric hot water system, the next step is to turn off the drain valve. You will find a small lever anywhere near the water tank. Note that turning off the drain valve will only turn off the water supply to the leaking hot water system. If you can’t turn off the drain valve, the valve lever might have been jammed and seized after years. In such cases, you must shut off the main water supply to get rid of the leakage.
In addition, don’t forget to turn off the gas supply if you have a gas enabled hot water system.
Step 3: Check if it can be repaired
After you have found the leak and turned off the water supply now is the right time to check if your leaking hot water supply can be repaired. Many DIY enthusiasts try to troubleshoot their leaking hot water system themselves in case of a minor leak. In fact, you can simply use an adhesive, plumbing tape, or band-aid to stop the leak temporarily.
But in case of major leaks, shut down the water and gas supply and seek professional plumbing services as soon as possible. Still, it is not recommended to look after such serious matter yourself. Even a minor leak in your hot water system can turn into a bigger one within a matter of 24 hours. Thus, your failed DIY solution will only make it worse.
Step 4: Avail Professional Plumbing Services
If you are unable to troubleshoot your leaking hot water system or the problem is too complex to handle by yourself, now is the right time to avail professional plumbing services. Leaking problems are bound to escalate if you don’t get it looked at immediately.
Recent Comments