Water Heater Installation & Repair Services in Toronto

The most common reason for getting a water heater & boiler replaced or repaired by DrainRooter Plumbing are:

Age

Look at the serial number to identify your tank’s age, they may vary from manufacturer and the country of origin so consult the manufacturer on how their dates are read. Heaters that are 10 years and older will need to be replaced. If it is located in an area where it won’t cause damage in the event of a leak, you can wait for the leak to happen before replacing it but it is highly not recommended.

Water Quality

Is there rust or gunk in the water? This is also a good way to test your piping system by the way. Test out if the problem lies with the pipes or the heater by draining about 3 buckets of water out of it, and if the water is still rusty, the problem lies with the tank. Otherwise, the pipes are at fault. Getting the water to the right temperature is also a measure of quality. If the water is too hot or not hot enough the problem could simply be fixed by adjusting your thermostat. If this still doesn’t fix it, the heating element could be broken.

Noise

Banging, or clanging sound in there? Sediment builds up eventually in the bottom of heaters especially in hard water areas. This hard sediment will clog the system, cause the heater to be less efficient in heating and will increase the wear and tear on the tank causing leaks. This needs to be drained out at least once a year and if the previous owner has not done this, you definitely need to replace the tank. Corrosion will also be caused by this sediment. There is a zinc metal bar inside the tank called an anode which is eaten away but protects your tank in doing so. This needs to be checked to see how it is, and if half of it is gone you just need to replace the rod. If all this is done and the heater is still noisy this means the heating element would need to be repaired or replaced.

Leaks & Puddles

This is a clear indicator that there is a leak somewhere and the tank has failed and like the Danish kid with his finger in the dam, there’s little preventing the water from bursting out. Make sure you check all the fittings and connections. If they are dry, your tank needs replacing otherwise, a sigh of relief is in order as fittings are cheap to replace.

The Pressure Relief Valves

Water cannot be compressed like gases and other liquids. This expands when heated and the tank can only take so much pressure before it gives way causing a deadly explosion. But thankfully, we have relief valves that prevent this from happening. These work by automatically letting water out of the tank to relieve pressure at a specific PSI (pounds per square inch) of pressure. Check to see if the valve is working by gently opening it and closing it and emptying about 2 cups of water. If it is still dripping water continuously after you open it, you will need to replace the valve. If no water is coming out, immediately turn off the heater, get away from the tank and replace it.

Book now