Plumbers Longview TX: Troubleshoot Your Gas Water Heater

Posted by on Aug 15, 2014 in Commercial Plumbing Longview TX, Plumber Longview TX | 0 comments When your gas water heater stops working the way it’s supposed to, you can be left with a dishwasher full of dirty dishes, a clothes washer full of unwashed laundry and and cold showers for everyone in your family.  Even though gas water heaters are fairly simple devices, there are still many things that can go wrong with them that will require plumbers Longview TX. Before you call for help, check out this quick troubleshooting guide for some of the more common gas water heater problems: Not enough hot water.  Your gas pressure might be low.  Contact your gas company to find out if this is an issue.  Your thermostat might be set too low, which would require turning up the heat.  You might have sediment build-up in your tank or your water heater may be too small.  Both of these require the services of a professional who can drain your tank or figure out the correct size water heater you need based on your usage. Pressure relief valve is leaking.  The pressure inside your water heater may be too high, which means your pressure relief valve is doing its job by releasing water.  However, you should consult plumbers Longview TX to find out why the pressure is building up inside your tank. Water tank is leaking.  A leaking water tank means your water heater should be replaced.  Leaking tanks are not cost-effective to repair. Water smells like rotten eggs.  There are bacteria that can sometimes live in your water that react with the metal of your sacrificial anode (the anode that attracts corrosives that can rust your water heater tank) to produce hydrogen sulfide gas.  This gas makes the rotten egg smell.  Ask your repairman to replace your anode with one that is made of aluminum and zinc, which should take care of the problem. Pilot light won’t come on or stay on.  You may be getting too little gas to keep the pilot light lit.  Or you may not be getting any gas.  This is a problem for your local gas company to solve.  You might have air or dirt in your gas line or a clogged orifice.  This will require a water heater technician to bleed the line in case of air, install a dirt trap in the case of dirt or locate the clog and remove it.  The problem can also be a loose thermocouple...
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Water Heater Repair Longview TX: What Makes Your Gas Water Heater Tick?

Posted by on Jun 21, 2014 in Plumber Longview TX, Water Heater Installer Longview TX | 0 comments Ever wonder how your gas water heater works so efficiently to deliver hot water to your whole house?  Probably not.  Like most major appliances in your home, you just cross your fingers and hope it keeps working the way it’s supposed to for a very long time.  But when something does go wrong and you call us at Bird Dog Plumbing water heater repair Longview TX, it’s always good to know at least the basic parts of your unit and how they function so that you can understand why you need the repairs we recommend. — How it works.   A gas water heater uses convection to heat your water.  Cold water goes into the tank and is heated by burners located at the bottom of the tank.  The hot water then rises to the top of the tank where it is siphoned off and transported throughout your home.  As the hot water is siphoned off, more cold water is pumped into the tank and the heating process continues. — The water supply.    No matter where your home’s water comes from, the same supply lines that carry it to the rest of your home carry it to your water heater.  A special valve controls the water supply and allows you to turn the water off if necessary. — The water tank.   The water tank consists of a steel outer jacket and a steel inner tank.  The inside of the tank is coated with ceramic to withstand the corrosive effects of hot water.  Insulation is placed between the outer jacket and the inner tank to protect the homeowner to keep heat in the tank.  On the inside of the inner tank is an anode rod that is sometimes called the sacrificial anode because it is made of a special metal that attracts corrosives to itself to prevent them from attaching to the tank. — The gas burner.   The gas burner is situated at the bottom of the tank and is fed by a gas supply line.  The burner is activated by turning on the pilot light, which ignites the gas and allows it to start heating the cold water.  The gas is controlled by a module that controls not only the temperature of the water but the pilot light as well. — The exhaust flue.   This might be the most important part of your gas water heater...
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Water Heater Repair Longview TX: Should You Repair Or Replace Your Water Heater?

Posted by on Jun 21, 2014 in Plumber Longview TX, Water Heater Installer Longview TX | 0 comments Your water heater is one of the appliances in your home that works beautifully for years and years – until it doesn’t and you’re left trying to figure out how to take a cold shower without actually getting wet.  Water heaters, gas or electric, are fairly simple appliances with a limited number of things that can go wrong with them.  In fact, when you call us at Bird Dog Plumbing water heater repair Longview TX, we can diagnose and fix your problem quickly.  But when should you have your water heater repaired and when should you have it replaced? Repair your water heater if it is fairly new and normally works well.  Problems with water heaters that are less than ten years old can include broken thermostats, malfunctioning heating elements, valves that stick and pilot light or circuit breaker problems.  All of these are all fixable and should cost you less than a new water heater. Replace your water heater if your tank is corroded or cracked and is leaking water.  A leaking tank is not something that water heater repair Longview TX can fix.   Although corrosion normally happens to older water heaters and is the result of minerals in the water, there are a number of reasons newer water heaters can crack or leak. Repair your water heater if it is still under warranty and the repair cost will be covered. Replace your water heater if it is more than ten years old.  After ten years of service, the heater is only functioning at 50% efficiency plus spending money on repairing an old unit is not cost effective.  You will be putting money into a unit that probably has very little life left in it.  In addition, finding parts for an older unit will get harder every year. Repair your water heater if you simply like how it works and don’t want to change it.  This is an acceptable option If you are willing to pay for the repairs. Replace your water heater if you want a new, more energy-efficient water heater or one with a larger tank.  You don’t even have to wait until your heater breaks down to replace it with a newer unit. When your water heater stops heating your water, call us at Bird Dog Plumbing water heater repair Longview TX at 903-225-2272 (NO EXTRA CHARGE ON SATURDAYS).  We can diagnose and repair your...
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Water Heater Repair Longview TX: Troubleshooting Your Electric Water Heater

Posted by on Jun 10, 2014 in Plumber Longview TX, Water Heater Installer Longview TX | 0 comments Nothing is more frustrating than turning on the water for a hot shower and finding out that there is no hot water.  The water heater is one of the appliances that you take for granted until it stops working.   The reason you can take it for granted is that most electric water heaters are built well and last many years.  But even the most well-built water heater can break down in many ways.  Before you call water heater repair Longview TX, check out these common electric water heater problems: No hot water.  The most obvious solution to this problem is to check your circuit breakers to see if one is tripped.  After the circuit breakers, the next thing to check is the reset button on the water heater limit switch.  The limit switch will shut your water heater off if something malfunctions.  A faulty thermostat or heating elements can cause your water heater to stop working as well. Not enough hot water.  The thermostat on your water heater could be the culprit when there isn’t enough hot water.  Loose wiring somewhere in the unit or heating elements that aren’t working correctly are also possibilities.  If you have an older water heater, your plastic dip tube could be disintegrating.  The dip tube carries cold water to the bottom of the tank. Water takes too long to reheat.  A thermostat adjustment may be needed to solve this problem.  The lower heating element could be bad or there could be sediment in the bottom of the tank.  A technician from  water heater repair Longview TX can test your heating elements and drain your water heater to remove the sediment. Water gets too hot.  This is probably caused by a thermostat that is either not working properly or that needs to be adjusted to a lower temperature. Rust-colored water.  Water from your tap could be rust-colored or even black.  Scale build-up on the heating elements is one possibility for this.  The other is a disintegrating anode rod – the anode rod keeps your heater tank from rusting. Water smells bad.  If a contamination in your city’s water supply is not the problem, you probably have a build-up of bacteria in your water heater.  Flushing the tank or replacing the anode rod may help. Leaking tank or pressure relief valve.  If water is leaking from the pressure relief valve, that indicates a faulty valve...
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Water Leak Repair Service Longview TX: We Can Help Dry It Up

Posted by on Apr 13, 2014 in Plumber Longview TX, Water Leak Repair Service Longview TX | 0 comments Who doesn’t love to sit and listen to water gently splashing…great at the beach or by a lake or stream but in your home…I don’t think so. A good water leak repair service Longview TX might be just what you need. A water leak can leave a soaking path of damage in its wake. A knowledgeable water leak repair service Longview TX will have the expertise to have you dry again in no time. A water leak wreaks havoc that can be costly. Not only can water bills escalate but repairs, replacement, labor, and materials can add up. When gallons of water are wasted the result can be money literally going down the drain. Sometimes water leaks occur in massive breaks that produce flooding waters that travel quickly leaving a mark on everything that lies in its path. Walls, carpets, floors, ceilings, and even foundations, could all suffer damage. Other leaks sometimes go unnoticed days or even weeks on end. Drip, drip, drip, and more drips add up to gallons faster than you think. By the time the leak is found a great deal of damage could have taken place. Better safe than sorry, be aware of the signs that might go unnoticed. Leaky toilets, leaky pipes, and even leaky water supply lines can be the source of your problems. Leakage problems do not only cause damage within your home but property damage can also occur. If you are hearing the continuous sound of running water you might want to check your toilets. LIft the lid and listen carefully. Check all toilets within your home just to be sure to cover all the bases. What about your water meter? Is it spinning round and round and yet nothing in your home is turned on…not a good sign. What about your water bill, gas bill, or electric bill are they increasing for no apparent reason? Even a small leak can waste a lot of water which can add 100s of dollars yearly to your bill. Take a look around your home. Have you noticed wet spots, discoloration on walls or ceilings? Standing water is not a good sign especially when it is in the crawlspace or basement. Crawlspaces are not fun places to enter but it could save you from a much larger problem.. Mold and mildew grow quickly in the moist area where a leak may be located. While...
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Plumber Longview TX: Five Key Services

Posted by on Mar 25, 2014 in Commercial Plumbing Longview TX, Plumber Longview TX | 0 comments We often take our water service for granted until we need the help of a plumber Longview TX. Clogged drains, garbage disposals and backed-up toilets are just a few of the common plumbing problems that can be solved by an East Texas plumbing service.  Your local plumber offers fast, efficient repairs and replacements for the following problems: 1-Drain Services Don’t let a clogged drain put your day on hold. A plumbing service in Longview TX can unclog your kitchen sink, bathtub or blocked toilet. Your plumber will clear the pipes beneath your sinks or clear the sewer drain if a clogged toilet is backing up into your shower or tub. 2-Toilet Repair A toilet that overflows or doesn’t flush properly is one of the most frustrating household problems you can encounter. Quite often the issue can be remedied by replacing or repairing a part inside the toilet tank. If the bowl is leaking, it may be a supply line problem. If water is leaking from underneath the toilet bowl, your plumber might reseal it. If that doesn’t work, it may be a clog in the waste line which they can then fix. 3- Water Heater Installation and Repair When you turn on the shower and get sprayed with a ice cold water even when you’ve turned the valve to hot, contact a plumber Longview TX to check the water heater. If you hear a popping sound from your gas heater or there’s a rotten egg smell coming from it, there may be sediment at the bottom of the tank. An East Texas plumber can fix these issues by flushing the tank.   If your water heater is more than ten years old or has a leak, your best option is to have a plumbing service replace it for you. 4- Remodeling If you’re remodeling your home, a plumber Longview TX will work with you to add a bathroom, half-bathroom or laundry room. A certified plumber can hook-up dishwashers and sinks in your kitchen, install showers, hot tubs or appliances outdoors or supply gas to pool heaters or outdoor fire pits. Your East Texas plumber has energy-efficient faucets and toilets that will save water, energy and meet local environmental standards. 5- Water Leaks Leaky faucets waste up to 10,000 gallons of water in the average household every year. An experienced plumber Longview TX can replace valve seals or washers to stop...
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