Brooks Plumbing Co. Blog: Archive for the ‘Water Heaters’ Category

The Reason for Loud Noises from Your Water Heater

Friday, October 17th, 2014

Your water heater works hard to produce hot water for the tasks you rely on every day, so it’s important to take care of your water heater in return. This includes calling an expert for maintenance from time to time and calling for repairs whenever you notice a problem. Sometimes, problems with your water heater result in a total lack of hot water, which generally convinces you to call for repairs as soon as possible.

But another pressing issue to pay attention to is loud noises, which may mean your unit is at risk of failure or sudden leaks. Loud noises may indicate a couple of different issues, and we’ll go over each of them here. When you need water heater repairs in Olympia, be sure to trust the experts at Brooks Plumbing.

Some Causes of Different Noises

Noises from your water heater may indicate a couple of different problems. If you don’t call for repairs soon, these could worsen and cause your unit to break down.

Sediment in the Tank: A banging or rattling noise from the tank may indicate that sediment is loosely rattling around in there. If you have hard water in your home, minerals can build up inside of the tank. Often, this only means the tank needs to be drained, and a technician can ensure the proper procedure to flush the tank of any sediment. In some cases, this can cause blockages and increase the pressure in the tank.
Water on the Burner: Another common sound is sizzling, which may happen whether or not the water heater is in use. This usually indicates that condensation is dripping onto the burner of a gas heater. This may mean you don’t get enough heating, even though you continue to consume energy throughout the day.
High Pressure: Your water heater has components in place to monitor the pressure, but the sound of rushing water could mean this system has failed and the pressure is too high. You may need a new pressure relief valve. On the other hand, too much sediment in the tank increases the volume, which could cause irreparable damage, increasing the pressure. In some cases, this means you need an entirely new unit.

For professional water heater repairs in Olympia, call the experts at Brooks Plumbing today!

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Causes of Discolored Water from Your Water Heater

Friday, October 10th, 2014

If you turn on a hot water tap in your home and notice the water is not clear, don’t panic. If your water heater or plumbing system is well-maintained and is not yet due for replacement, there is a good chance that you simply have a small problem that requires repair. However, if you have an older water heater, one that was poorly installed, or one that is not well-maintained, brown or rust-colored water may indicate serious corrosion.

You need a plumber experienced in water heater repairs so that you can be sure you get the repair or replacement services you need. To schedule water heater repairs in Olympia, call the experts at Brooks Plumbing. If you want to know more about the possible causes of discoloration from hot water, take a look at the following list.

Worn Anode Rod: The anode rod attracts particles that cause rust and corrosion to protect your tank. If this rusts through, however, your water may turn a reddish-brown color, and, eventually, your tank may begin to rust. This is a small part that should be replaced from time to time, which is why it’s important to have a plumber inspect your water heater during a maintenance visit once a year.
Corroded Tank: However, if your anode rod is not very old and rust does begin to affect your tank, replacement is usually the only option. Most water heaters will last over 10 years with proper maintenance, so if your unit has not reached this point, discoloration could point to a different issue.
Excess Sediment: Your storage tank water heater stores water at all times, so minerals from the water supply may begin to settle at the bottom of the tank over time. Too many of these minerals may make the water appear yellow, which is why it’s important to have a professional flush your tank from time to time.
Rusty Pipes: If both the hot and cold water taps produce discoloration, the problem may unfortunately be in your pipes. Galvanized steel pipes will eventually rust through, and should be replaced with modern copper or plastic piping.

For plumbing service and water heater repairs in Olympia, call the friendly technicians at Brooks Plumbing today!

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Why Is Sizing Important for Water Heater Tanks?

Friday, October 3rd, 2014

When you need a large plumbing installation, such as a new water heater, it’s important that you let a trained professional handle all of the heavy work. One misstep can cause water to flood into your home, and faulty installation can mean you’ll end up with some large repairs early on.

But what’s also important is that you let a trained professional choose the proper size unit for your home. To some homeowners, this may not seem like a complicated task. If you have budgetary limitations, you may opt for a smaller system. Or, you may choose a larger unit to ensure you get enough hot water. But these assumptions can cost you money in repairs and on your energy bills over time. That’s why it’s important to let a professional help you through every step of the process.

Here’s why sizing a storage tank water heater is not a job for the inexperienced. And when you need water heater service in Olympia, trust one of the plumbing experts at Brooks Plumbing.

Sizing Storage Tank Water Heaters

Sizing a water heater depends on a couple of factors. For one, a technician must determine the amount of hot water used during the busiest hour of the day. This is referred to as the FHR, or first hour rating, because many households use a lot of hot water early in the first hours of the day. A technician may be able to make calculations based on the number of people in the home, but some homeowners have additional water heating needs to take into account.

The home’s FHR should match up to the unit’s FHR. However, you’ll also need to consider the EF, or energy factor. This number lets you know how much of the energy used by the water heater is used as hot water. When factoring the size of the unit into your budget, you should also consider this factor to help you choose a system that is cost-effective over time.

A system that is too small will not get the job done, but an oversized system will cost you a lot more every month. For water heater service in Olympia, let the professionals at Brooks Plumbing do the work for you. Call us today!

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Water Heater Repair FAQ: What Is a Heating Element?

Friday, September 26th, 2014

While your water heater allows you to do so many important activities around the home, such as cleaning floors, doing laundry, washing dishes, and taking hot showers, most homeowners generally don’t know about the various parts involved in this process. Of course, water heater repair is a complex job best left to experienced professionals, so it’s likely that you’ll never have to deal with the various components of a water heater on your own. However, the heating element is an interesting component of an electric water heater, relying on the principle of heat rising to provide hot water. In this guide, we’ll look at how the traditional storage tank water heater works and the role of the heating element in electric models, as well as what may go wrong.

Storage tank water heaters, the most common type of unit found in homes, use a fairly simple process to supply hot water whenever a hot water tap is turned on. First, cold water travels through a long dip tube at the top of the tank that leads all the way to the bottom. Water is heated at the bottom of the tank and naturally rises to the top over the denser cold water. Another shorter tube at the top of the tank allows water to enter into the pipes and reach your faucets.

With a gas-powered water heater, water is heated with a burner located underneath the tank. For homes without access to a natural gas line, however, an electric water heater may be a better option. Electric units use small heating elements installed inside of the tank rather than burners to heat the water. These metal elements heat up via electrical resistance. There is a heating element toward the bottom of the tank and another at the top in order to help keep water thoroughly heated when the tank is not in use. However, because the bottom element takes on the bulk of the work, it may be more susceptible to breaking down. It’s important to have a technician assess the damage and ensure a replacement element uses the same voltage.

The best way to prevent damages to your water heater is by scheduling regular water heater maintenance with a professional. When you need maintenance or water heater repair in Olympia, call one of the experts at Brooks Plumbing today!

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Signs of Trouble with Your Water Heater

Thursday, June 5th, 2014

You don’t want to be caught on a Monday morning with a shower that suddenly can’t produce enough hot water—or perhaps any hot water. When a water heater fails, it can mean a few days of discomfort for you and your family until a new one is installed.

Luckily, water heaters usually send warning signs that they are experiencing problems that call for immediate repairs to prevent a full failure. If you notice any of the problems below, get in contact with a repair specialist right away. You will be glad you took action sooner rather than later.

Since 1994, Brooks Plumbing has installed, repaired, and maintained water heaters. You can trust us with whatever problems you have with your home’s hot water supply and your water heater in Lacey, WA.

Warnings of a water heater that might be in trouble

Discolored water: If you turn on a hot water tap, and rust-colored water flows out, similar to what you might see after a long vacation, then the heater is either developing rust or has a build-up of sediment inside its tank. Rust needs to be remedied as soon as possible, or the whole water tank will need replacement. Excess sediment will require that technicians flush out the tank. If the sediment remains, it could start to block the valves in the tank.
The water isn’t as warm as before: When you notice that the water coming out of a hot water tap is lukewarm and not up to the temperature level you expect, a number of problems might be afflicting the water heater, such as reduced gas power to the jets or a broken mixing valve. These problems will almost always worsen, so have professionals on the job as soon as possible.
The hot water runs out too fast: On occasions when the hot water supply cuts off before it should, the issue is often due to a broken dip tube inside the tank, which will deposit cold water near the top of the tank and mix it with the hot water that the circulator pump sends out to the taps. The technicians can fix the dip tube and restore your hot water to its regular amount.

For any of the above problems, it’s possible that the heater has simply aged past the point where it can work efficiently and effectively, and the only “repair” that will stick is to replace the system with a new one. Your water heater repair technician will give you a set of options and help you select the one that will benefit your home and budget the most.

For honest answers and quality work for your water heater in Lacey, WA, call Brooks Plumbing today. We service both storage and tankless water heaters.

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Why Are There Gurgling Noises Coming From My Water Heater?

Wednesday, April 9th, 2014

Generally speaking any unusual noise from a major appliance is cause for concern. This is just as true for your water heater – which rarely receives any attention except when something’s wrong – as it is for any other appliance. Gurgling sounds, in particular, are common signs of a significant problem with your heater. “Why are there gurgling noises coming from my water heater?” you ask. Any plumber in Olympia can give you an answer en route to making speedy repairs.

Gurgling noises usually result from water passing through sediment and build-up on the bottom of the tank. The sediment builds up slowly over the course of time, fed by mineral deposits in hard water that enters the tank. Hard water is usually harmless, but the minerals (usually calcium, magnesium and the like) will settle into the bottom of the tank and may even create strange little structures as they form. When water moves through them, it will gurgle and bubble, creating the noise.

This might not sound like a big deal – and indeed, the water heater will usually still function – but it constitutes a significant problem. The sediment forms an insulating layer between the water in the tank and the heaters intended to warm it. That means your water heater must burn more gas to do its job, costing you money and increasing strain on the bottom of the tank. If left untreated, it could eventually cause a breach in the tank, forcing you to replace the entire unit.

The good news is that a trained plumber in Olympia can help. Draining the tank and cleaning off the sediment is a fairly standard operation for most plumbing services, and some companies can install water filters in your home to cut down on the build-up. If you’re wondering why there are gurgling noises coming from your water heater, then contact the plumbing experts at Brooks Plumbing. We’ll fix the problem and can help you take steps to prevent it from recurring in the future. Pick up the phone and give us a call today. You’ll be glad you did!

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Should I Install a Tankless Water Heater?

Tuesday, January 14th, 2014

Tankless water heaters stand as a viable alternative to traditional tanked models, getting rid of the large, cumbersome tank in favor of a system that heats the water instantly. As the water passes through the heater on the way to your faucet or shower head, it is instantly heated via a series of electrical coils or a gas heater. That spares you the expense of maintaining gallons of hot water in a tank, though installation costs for a tankless heater can be larger and the system works better in some circumstances than others. Here in Tumwater, tankless water heaters are a solid option, but the question remains: “should I install a tankless water heater?” The answer depends on your circumstances.

The first question comes with the number of people in your household. Tankless water heaters can become overwhelmed if they are saddled with too many demands at the same time, which means that smaller households benefit from it more than larger households. That also counts for the number of fixtures a tankless water heater needs to supply. If you have a lot of sinks, you may need to install multiple units in your home, which will increase the overall installation cost significantly.

Then there’s the question of amount of use. A tanked heater can be very expensive to maintain in a second home or a vacation home, as well as requiring regular maintenance in order to keep ahead of general wear and tear. A tankless system can mitigate that, since it doesn’t rely on standing water and can usually be activated instantly. That makes them quite desirable for homes that are left unoccupied for certain parts of the year.

And of course, you need to consider the savings over time versus the initial cost of installation, which can be influenced by your present circumstances and needs. A good advisor can help you with all of that, then set up an installation schedule that meets your specifications. In Tumwater, tankless water heaters can be installed by the experts at Brooks Plumbing. Our staff of trained professionals is on call to answer any questions you may have. If you’re asking “should I install a tankless water heater?” contact us today. You’ll be glad that you did!

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What Are the Advantages of a Tankless Water Heater?

Friday, January 10th, 2014

The standard type of home water heater is known as a “storage” water heater. It keeps a supply of water inside a tank, where it uses gas or electricity to heat the water for use in the home. Many people think that this is the only kind of water heater available, but today you can have a tankless water heater installed in your home.

How does that work? Tankless systems run the water in the pipes through coils that pass over gas burners, heating the water as it is needed at a tap. Some tankless systems use electrical power installed at individual tanks, so the tankless system can be used only for specific taps instead of the whole house.

Brooks Plumbing installs both storage and tankless water heaters in Olympia, WA. Here are some of the benefits we’ve found people get from going with a tankless heater.

No running out of hot water: Storage water heaters only have a limited supply of hot water available at any time; once you exhaust the supply in the tank, you have to wait for the heater to heat up more before you get hot water again. With a tankless system, you don’t have to worry about this because it heats up the water as you need it, so you won’t run out.
Space-saving: A water tank takes up a large amount of space. A tankless system is relatively small, and some can even be installed hanging on walls.
Energy efficiency: Storage water heaters must maintain a constant temperature in their tanks so the hot water is ready for use. Since tankless systems only use heat when someone requires water, they consume far less energy than storage tanks—sometimes up to 20% less.
Longevity: On average, a tankless system lasts 5 to 10 years longer than a storage system.
No flooding worries: You no longer have to be concerned that a ruptured water tank will flood part of your house.

There are some drawbacks, however, such as high initial installation cost and a longer lag time waiting for the water to heat up. If more than one tap is operating at once, a tankless system can lose its efficiency. Ask an expert in water heaters if your household will benefit from going tankless.

At Brooks Plumbing, we take our motto seriously: “Quality in Everything We Do.” We’ve striven to uphold that promise since 1994, and when you contact us to install a tankless water heater in Olympia, WA, we will give you the quality service that you deserve.

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Common Water Heater Problems

Tuesday, October 29th, 2013

Water heaters occupy an “out of sight, out of mind” position in many homes. As long as the hot water comes whenever you turn on the faucet, most people don’t worry about any problems. Issues with the water heater typically arise slowly over time, then spring upon you when you least suspect it. In Olympia, plumber services are often trained to handle water heaters, but you can help by identifying the possible source of the trouble when it arrives. Here is a brief list of some common water heater problems.

Thermocouple/pilot light. The pilot light ignites the gas that heats the water in the heater. The thermocouple serves to regulate the flow of gas, shutting it off in the event of a problem. When the pilot light goes out or the thermocouple won’t function, your heater won’t produce any hot water.
Dip tube. The dip tube runs the length of your water heater tank that moves cold water to the bottom of the tank. The hot water at the top moves into your home through the pipe system, while the cold water is warmed by the heater. If the dip tube has a breach or is broken in some way, you’re apt to get lukewarm or even cold water instead of hot.
Leaks. A breach in the heater tank or troubles in the various fittings between pipes can result in a leaky hot water heater. A repairman will need to hunt down the source of the breach and seal it, or else the problem will likely get worse.
Anode rod. The anode rod prevents rust and other damage to the heater. It slowly dissolves over time. When it doesn’t, you’re apt to discover black or rusty water coming out of your pipes, and will need to replace the spent rod with a new one.

In Olympia, water heater service is provided by the trained professionals at Brooks Plumbing. We handle all manner of common water heater problems, and can deal with replacement and installation operations in the event your water heater needs replacing. Contact us today to set up an appointment.

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Reasons to Consider Replacing Your Water Heater this Fall

Monday, September 16th, 2013

Water heaters in Olympia can be a blessing when faced with our traditional cool rainy environment. There’s nothing that makes the cold and rain less bothersome than a hot bath or warm beverage waiting for you when you get home. That depends on a reliable water heater, and while regular maintenance and upkeep can extend the life of your current unit beyond what it’s intended, sooner or later, you may need to consider replacing your water heater. This fall makes a good time to pull the trigger, since it gives you the benefits of a new water heater before the temperatures get too low. Here are some reasons why such a move might make sense for you:

Your water heater is old. You may have a warranty on your existing water heater and if it’s well maintained, it should last for a long time. If it’s over ten years old, however, and evincing other problems, then replacement may be your only option.
Repairs costs are mounting. If your water heater is showing signs of rust or corrosion, if the pilot light steadfastly refuses to stay lit, if puddle of water repeatedly appear on the floor, or if scaling and sediment build-up are creating problems in your system, the cost of fixing them may no longer be worth the aggravation. While the initial set up fee for a new water heater may be expensive, you’ll see returns with lowered monthly heating bills and a lack of repairs.
The water heater isn’t working. If you use an excessive amount of hot water, you may notice the heat fading over time as the heater works to keep up with demand. If your water heater can’t produce hot water at all and/or multiple service calls can’t seem to fix the problem, then you need to consider a new water heater

When it comes to water heaters in Olympia, WA, Brooks Plumbing has the expertise you need. We’re locally based, so we understand the needs of Washington home owners, and our trained Olympia, WA water heater technicians can install a new water heater before the winter storms arrive. If you have reasons to consider replacing your water heater this fall, contact us to make an appointment today.

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