There’s nobody better than Meticulous Plumbing when it comes to water heater problems, repairing, and installing water heaters in Portland. We also have water heaters for sale, so we can definitely help you find the right one for you. We offer both traditional, tankless, or hybrid water heater systems and can advise you on the pros and cons of each, depending on your particular situation.
This leads us to the topic of today’s blog. Surprise — it’s water heaters!
Frequently Asked Questions About Water Heaters
How long does it take to install a water heater?
For top-notch professionals like the licensed Portland plumbers at Meticulous Plumbing, a complete installation of a water heater usually takes two to three hours. There are, of course, lots of little wrinkles that could affect installation time. For example, it may take a long time to drain old water heaters, especially if they’re full of silt.
There may be differences in installation time between how to install a water heater (electric) versus how to install a water heater (gas). Then there are the logistical challenges, such as making space for the water heater in crowded basements, laundry rooms, or closets.
Can I install a water heater in the bathroom?
You can install a water heater wherever you like, as long as the water and electrical connections are available at your preferred location. Most people want to keep their water heaters out of sight, though. (Out of sight, out of mind, right? — so long as the hot water keeps flowing!)
If you’re wondering how to install a water heater in the bathroom, we suggest calling Meticulous Plumbing to get the job done right. Tankless water heaters are popular choices for bathroom water heaters because you can get an endless supply of hot water.
What’s the best way to install a thermocouple on a water heater?
Figuring out how to install a thermocouple on a water heater is one of those jobs best left to a professional or a very experienced DIYer. That’s because a thermocouple is typically used with gas water heaters, including those with electric ignitions. Our guess is that if you’re searching for how to do this, you’re probably not one of those very experienced DIYers we mentioned above. Call Meticulous Plumbing for help.
How can I install a pan under an existing water heater?
This is a pretty involved process. It includes shutting off both water and power to the water heater, removing all attachments to the water heater, draining the water heater, and then lifting the thing so that you can install the pan underneath. Next, you have to perform these functions in reverse (i.e., put the water heater in place, reattach all those attachments, refill the water heater, etc.).
As you may have noticed from the rest of these frequently asked questions about water heaters, a lot of these require professional expertise. So once again, we recommend consulting the expert and professional plumbers at Meticulous Plumbing. We’re happy to help, and our friendly customer service is the best in the industry.
Can you help me figure out how to install a water heater element?
As you may know, electric water heaters heat water via heating elements within the tank itself. (Gas water heaters use a burner.) Homeowners with hard water may have noticed that the lower electric heating element fails more quickly. But in any case, the time may come when you have to replace the water heater heating element.
This requires knowledge of not just water heaters but of electricity. There’s a pretty good walk-thru here, which you can see is a pretty involved process. Why not call Meticulous instead and let us take care of it with no worries or hassles?
Common Water Heater Problems
No hot water
Typically, the reason that your water heater isn’t pumping out hot water is that your circuit breaker has tripped. Start by checking the breaker box, and if that doesn’t work, it may be an issue with the limit/reset switch on the thermostat. If the thermostat seems fine, some of the heating elements probably need to be replaced.
Low hot water pressure
Quite often this occurs in old houses with 1/2-inch diameter galvanized piping that enters and leaves the water heater tank. If this is the case, replace the old pipe with modern 3/4-inch piping to let more water through.
Sediment, rust, and calcium deposits in your pipes may also cause this issue.
Smelly water
If there is a rotten egg smell in your water, that means there are bacteria growing in the water tank. To fix this, you will likely need to replace the anode rod.
Water leaking from the bottom
Water leaking from the bottom of your water heater is typically caused by one of three things: a leaking electric heating element gasket, normal condensation, or the T&P valve is releasing pressure.
In more rare cases, the leak is much more serious and will require you to install a new water heater.
Running out of hot water quickly
If you are running out of hot water quickly, it is likely because of your thermostat. It may be that all you need to do is turn it up. Other potential problems include: your thermostat is broken, there’s a faulty element, loose wiring, or your water heater is too small for your needs.
Meticulous Plumbing in Portland
Water heaters typically last about seven to 15 years. Most of the time they operate without any problems. But when issues do arise, people often search for the questions above — and many others. Some more typical examples of frequently asked questions about water heaters questions regarding:
- How to install an expansion tank on a water heater
- Installing a water heater pressure relief line
- How to install a water heater expansion tank
Don’t second guess yourself — go with the pros for answers to these questions and any other plumbing-related problems.
