Tulsa Water Heater Repair & Replacement Services

TULSA WATER HEATER REPAIR SERVICES

If your water heater doesn’t seem to be delivering as much hot water in the winter, it may not have anything to do with cold temperatures. Fresh water does cool off in the winter, but if your water heating appliance is fully functional, the incoming temperature shouldn’t matter .Most problems with heating water occur when the heater:

Needs flushing.

The most common cause of high water heating bills and premature tank failure are the hard water deposits that collect at the bottom of the tank. A few won’t interfere with water heating, but if there are too many, the heating process will slow, especially in gas water heaters. A gas water heater heats from the bottom only, and when that surface is covered with hard water deposits, there won’t be as much hot water.Most electric units have two heating elements. One sits close to the bottom of the tank and the other near the top. If the bottom is covered with solids, the water won’t heat as well. One of the heating elements may also not be working and needs replacing.

Has a broken dip tube.

The dip tube is made from plastic that can become brittle and break over time. This tube connects to the cold water inlet and sends the water to the bottom of the tank where it heats up. If it’s broken, the cold water stays at the top of the tank and the water you get won’t feel as hot.

Needs insulation to combat cold temperatures.

If the tank feels hot to the touch, consider wrapping an insulation blanket around it to keep the heat inside longer.

Is too small.

If your family size has changed, someone’s taking longer showers, or you’re washing more clothes in hot water might force you to install a bigger water heater.Some of these water heater maintenance tasks might be better done by a pro. If you’d like assistance, contact Air Assurance, providing HVAC and plumbing services for Broken Arrow.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, call us at 918-217-8273.

How Can Cold Weather Make Plumbing Issues Worse?

Cold weather plumbing issues can occur anytime temperatures plunge well below freezing for several hours. Here in northeastern Oklahoma, average nightly temperatures drop below freezing about three months each year. In extreme cases, temperatures as low as 15 degrees below zero have been recorded here. In cold weather, plumbing can be exposed to stresses that damage pipes and connected components. Here are tips to ensure that cold weather plumbing issues are not on the calendar this winter. 

Broken Pipes

Frozen pipes may occur when temperatures drop below 25 degrees for several hours. Ice formation inside pipes expands, exerting pressure that may rupture the pipe. A broken water-supply line can flood a house with hundreds of gallons of water per hour, causing expensive damage. In cold weather, plumbing can be protected from freezing by taking a few preventative measures:

• Insulate exposed pipes. Install slip-on, foam-insulation sleeves on pipes that may be exposed to extreme cold, including in the crawl space under the house and in the attic. 

• Look for gaps, cracks, or other penetrations that allow frigid air to infiltrate exterior walls where water pipes are routed. Seal small openings with expanding insulated foam and cover larger openings with wood or other material. 

• If extremely low temperatures are forecast, open kitchen and bathroom faucets slightly to allow a continuing trickle of water. This releases pressure that damages pipes if ice forms inside plumbing.

• A sudden loss of water pressure at one or more faucets during subfreezing temperatures may indicate damage caused by cold weather plumbing issues. Don’t wait for temperatures to rise; contact a qualified professional plumber immediately.

Water-Heater Issues

A water heater installed in an unheated garage or outdoors is vulnerable to freezing temperatures. Protect against cold weather plumbing damage by installing a water-heater-insulating blanket that wraps around the tank. Also, insulate exposed water inlet and outlet pipes connected to the water heater.

For more information about preventing cold weather plumbing damage this winter, contact the professionals at Air Assurance.