Most homeowners don’t give much thought to their water heater, but when it’s on the fritz, your whole family suffers. Resetting the breaker or the high-temperature cutoff switch may help, but if these problems occur frequently, it might be time for a new unit.

A puddle of water around your tank is a clear sign that it’s leaking. Prompt repairs can prevent costly water damage and extend the life of your unit.

No hot water is one of the most vexing problems with a home’s water heater. If you find yourself running out of hot water for showers, laundry or cooking, a professional must be called to replace the damaged unit. Fortunately, there are some troubleshooting steps you can try before calling the plumber.

A tripped circuit breaker or a broken heating element can cause no hot water. If the breaker is tripped, turn it off and press the reset button. This will restore electricity to the unit and allow it to heat up again. If the breaker keeps tripping, you may have too many appliances drawing power at once. This can also be caused by an unbalanced load or a bad water heater anode rod.

If you have no hot water, check the temperature of your thermostats. A tripped thermostat can be easily fixed by moving it to a higher setting. A thermostat that is set too low may also be the culprit if you are consistently out of hot water.

If you have a gas water heater, make sure the gas valve is on and open. If it isn’t, check that it is not set too low and that the pilot light is still lit (if you have a gas model). If the pilot light has been extinguished, try to relight it. If you are unable to get it to stay lit, call a plumber for assistance.

Unusual Smells or Discoloration

Occasionally, homeowners experience unpleasant smells or discoloration from their water heater. Both of these issues indicate there is a problem, and if not addressed promptly may lead to more serious problems down the line. If your water smells like rotten eggs or has a metallic taste, it could indicate there is bacterial growth in the water. Red or brown stains in your water are a sign that the hot water heater is producing rust and need to be replaced. In general, odors and stains are caused by bacteria in the water tank – this can be prevented with routine maintenance checks.

If you have a problem with smelly or discolored water, turn off the power to the water heater and check your circuit breaker or fuse box for a tripped breaker or blown fuse. If these aren’t the cause, you will need to drain your water heater and replace the anode rod.

It is also important to note that some of the odors and discoloration you might be experiencing are not related to your water heater at all, but rather your household plumbing system or the local water supply. This can be due to a variety of things, including galvanized pipes that corrode and release rust into the water.

Sluggish Performance

Sediment buildup can cause a water heater to act more slowly. Cold water that comes into the tank carries dissolved minerals and trace amounts of other debris, which can gradually accumulate over time. This sediment can cause a reaction in your heating element or, if it is older and has been damaged by previous repairs, may require its replacement.

If your gas water heater has a pilot light that frequently goes out, this may indicate a malfunction in the thermocouple or the pilot tube. If these are dirty or clogged, they won’t generate enough voltage to keep the gas valve open. This can lead to natural gas leaking into your home, which is dangerous for you and your family.

If your gas water heater isn’t getting enough combustion air, it won’t produce a high-quality flame and will be less effective at heating your water. This is also dangerous, as it can expose your family to carbon monoxide poisoning or contamination. Having a professional inspect your unit can help prevent this problem from worsening. Often, replacing the unit is the best option.

Odd Noises

Strange noises can be alarming, and if the situation isn’t handled quickly, they may lead to accelerated tank damage or water leaks. Some operational sounds like rumbling or clanking are par for the course, but any new noises signal that something’s amiss and need to be evaluated.

Screeching or whistling sounds often indicate loose valves that need to be tightened. If you’re not comfortable adjusting these yourself, a local plumber will be happy to help.

Hissing sounds can occur when sediment covers the bottom heating elements and prevents them from heating up the water in the tank. Flushing and draining the tank can help resolve this issue, but it may also mean that the water heater is near the end of its lifespan.

Banging or rumbling sounds are another common symptom of excess sediment build-up that is reacting with the heating element inside the tank and creating these mini-boiling episodes. This can usually be corrected by partially draining the tank, which should be done annually anyways.

Other odd noises include humming, which typically indicates that the water heater’s heating elements are loose and need to be tightened. This is a good reason to contact a professional for help, as this isn’t a task that can be safely or effectively accomplished by the average homeowner. Other sounds may indicate that there’s a gas leak or electrical problem, which pose obvious safety hazards and should never be tinkered with outside of certified expert knowledge.

No Power

If your electric or gas water heater doesn’t turn on, check the circuit breaker (for electrical) or pilot light (for gas). If they are tripped, reset them. If they remain tripped, there is probably something wrong with the wiring or the system. Some problems can be easily fixed using the troubleshooting steps shown in this video, but others, such as a bad circuit breaker, can only be diagnosed by using live voltage tests, which should only be done by a service technician.

The first thing to do is shut off the power supply by turning off the house breaker that serves the water heater. Then remove the upper access panel, insulation and plastic cover and find the power supply wires. With the breaker off, use your multi-meter to measure for continuity from the black wire to the bare metal on the junction box and from the red wire to the bare metal. The meter should read infinite resistance, meaning there is no short circuit between the two wires.

If you see a reading of near zero ohms, then the upper thermostat’s high-temperature limit switch is broken and needs to be replaced. Follow the directions in the video to do this safely. Then, shut off the breaker and open the lower access panel to examine the lower heating element. There are only two terminals on the lower thermostat, so just touch one of the meter probes to each and you should measure near zero ohms.

Leaks

If you notice water leaking from your water heater, call your plumber right away. This is a sign that it’s time for a repair or replacement, and it can be a serious problem if not addressed quickly enough. It can cause extensive damage to your home and a much more expensive repair bill than it should be.

Pooling water on top of your water heater could mean that the inlet or outlet pipes are leaking. These pipes bring in cold water and send out hot water for your household use. They can become loose over time, and it’s important to make sure they’re tightened as often as possible.

Leaks from the bottom of your water heater may be caused by a faulty drain valve. This spigot is located at the bottom of your tank and allows you to drain the water for maintenance or to flush out the unit when needed. A faulty drain valve can leave water in the unit, which is dangerous and may need to be replaced immediately.

Leaks from the top of your water heater can also be a result of loose pipe connections or the T&P (temperature and pressure) valve, which regulates the amount of water pressure in the tank. This is a safety valve that can fail over time and leak water, and it is crucial to keep this valve working properly to avoid tank leaks.