An overheating water heater is a serious hazard that you shouldn't ignore. The excessively hot water that flows out can scald anyone who touches it. Moreover, the excess heat can also cause extensive damage to your water heater and its system elements. Oftentimes, the repairs alone can cost you a fortune, especially with widespread damage.
Frequent overheating may be a sign of a budding problem or one that is difficult to identify. Either way, you may want to understand the reasons for constant overheating to help you figure out a suitable solution.
Learn about the common triggers behind recurrent overheating problems with your water heater.
1. Mineral Sediment Build-up
The water supply into your home may contain dissolved minerals that run through your entire plumbing system. When the water enters your water heater, these minerals may start to form clusters due to the intense heat. These clusters may then deposit inside the tank and settle as sediment.
Unfortunately, the sediment may form around the heating elements. Your water heater may have to work harder than usual to supply hot water at your preferred temperature.
Your plumber may suggest a tank flushing appointment to rid your tank of the accumulated sediment. During the procedure, your plumbing technician could clean the heating elements and the bottom and of the tank where a lot of sediment could be.
If you don't act quickly, your water heater system could eventually fail. An annual flushing schedule would be an ideal solution to prevent built-up sediment from creating problems in the future.
2. Blocked Pressure Relief Valve
Steam could accumulate inside your water heater as your system ensures a constant hot water supply whenever you need it. If there's no way to release the steam, your water heater might overheat, or worse still, explode. The propelling fragments are a serious threat to you and your family's wellbeing - not to mention the total destruction of the tank.
Luckily, a pressure valve within your system provides an escape for the built-up steam inside the tank. In doing so, the valve protects your water heater against overheating. If the pressure valve is blocked, temperatures may rise to higher than usual levels in your water heater system.
Immediately you hear the water boiling in the system tank, disconnect your water heater's power supply. The dangers of a faulty pressure valve may require you to call in an experienced expert and avoid any unnecessary risks.
3. Faulty Thermostat
The thermostat regulates the water temperature inside your water heater. When the water inside the tank drops to a specific temperature, the thermostat turns on the system's heating elements. Then elements then raise the water temperature to the desired level.
If your thermostat fails, your water heater could overheat without warning. There's nothing to stop the power supply to the heating elements, leading to uncontrolled water temperatures inside the tank.
Some systems may have a reset feature to cut off the power supply to the boiler elements in case of a malfunction. However, the reset feature can still fail and cause the water temperatures to rise above safe limits.
Also, anyone in your household may have unknowingly adjusted the thermostat setting to a higher level than usual. A higher setting triggers your boiler elements to raise the water temperatures higher.
Luckily, you can have your plumber replace a faulty thermostat to avoid any risks that come with overheating. But before you call them, make sure to check the thermostat setting to rule out accidental tampering.
An overheating water heater is one problem you shouldn't ignore. The underlying cause could be more serious than you might think. Contact PlumbRite right away in case of any overheating issues with your water heater.
Additional Service Areas
Omaha, NE
La Vista, NE
Bellevue, NE