What are the signs a water heater is failing?
A water heater is failing when hot water runs out sooner than it used to, comes out rusty, or the tank pops and rumbles while it heats. Water pooling around the base is the most serious sign, because a tank that has rusted through cannot be patched.
A drip from a fitting is a repair. A drip from the tank itself is a replacement.
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Hot water runs out fast
Sediment is taking up room in the bottom of the tank, the lower element on an electric heater has failed, or the dip tube that carries cold water to the bottom has cracked.
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Popping or rumbling
Water trapped under a layer of mineral scale boils in small pockets as the burner heats it. The noise is the scale, and it means the tank is working harder than it should.
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Rusty or smelly hot water
Rust in the hot water only can mean the anode rod is used up and the steel tank has started to corrode. A rotten-egg smell often comes from the same rod reacting with the water.
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Water around the base
Check the drain valve and the relief-valve pipe first. If the water is seeping from the tank itself, turn off the heater's cold-water supply and call.
Should you repair or replace your water heater?
Repair a water heater when a replaceable part has failed and the tank is sound. Replace it when the tank leaks, is badly scaled, or the heater is old enough that the next failure is close behind. The table shows which way the common water heater problems usually go.
The heater's age is on its label: most manufacturers code the build month and year into the serial number. Have a photo of the label ready when you call.
| What you notice | What it usually means | Usual outcome |
|---|---|---|
| No hot water from a gas heater | The burner is not lighting: a worn thermocouple or flame sensor, or a failed gas control valve | Repair |
| No hot water from an electric heater | A tripped high-limit switch, a burned-out element or a failed thermostat | Repair |
| Hot water runs out quickly | Sediment in the tank, a failed lower element or a broken dip tube | Repair or flush |
| Water dripping from the relief-valve pipe | The tank is running too hot or at too much pressure, or the relief valve itself is worn. That valve is a safety device | Check soon |
| Rusty hot water from an older tank | The tank lining is corroding from the inside | Usually replace |
| Leak from the tank body | The steel tank has rusted through | Replace |
What does water heater service from Ledco Plumbing cover?
Ledco Plumbing repairs water heaters that have stopped working properly and installs new ones when repair no longer makes sense. Every job starts by finding out why the heater failed, so a worn part is not mistaken for a dead tank and you are not sold a heater you did not need.
Most "no hot water" calls come down to one part. Which part depends on the fuel: on a gas heater it is usually the thermocouple or flame sensor, the gas control valve or the burner; on an electric heater it is usually a heating element or the thermostat that controls it. Those are repairs, and the tank goes back to work.
The tank is a different story. Once the steel has rusted through, water seeps from the seams or the bottom, and there is nothing left to fix. That is when Ledco Plumbing sizes and installs a replacement heater for your home or business in Seminole or Wewoka.
Not every puddle near a water heater comes from the heater. A supply line, a nearby fixture or a pipe in the wall can leak onto the same floor, and that calls for leak detection and repair instead of a new tank. Ledco's other services are on the plumbing services page.
What happens when Ledco Plumbing installs a new water heater?
A water heater installation runs in four stages, and you approve the estimate before the old heater is disconnected. The stages are choosing a heater that fits your home, shutting off and draining the old one, setting and connecting the new heater, then filling it and checking every joint while it heats.
- Size the replacementHousehold size, fuel type and the space the old tank fills decide which heater fits. A photo of the old heater's label tells the plumber most of that before the visit.
- Shut off and drainThe gas or power is turned off, the cold-water supply closed, and the old tank drained through its valve so it can be moved.
- Set and connectThe new heater goes in place and is connected to the water lines and its fuel supply, gas heaters to their vent as well, with a discharge pipe on the relief valve.
- Fill, then fire upThe tank is filled with water before the gas or power comes back on. An electric element switched on in an empty tank burns out in seconds. Every joint is then checked for leaks while the water heats.
Why choose Ledco Plumbing for a water heater in Seminole?
Ledco Plumbing checks why a water heater failed before recommending a fix, gives you the price up front, and takes calls on Saturdays and Sundays too. The company is owned by Mickey Ledbetter and works from an office at 316 E Oak Ave in Seminole.
- Cause before cureThe heater is checked to see whether a part or the tank has failed.
- Repair or replace, pricedYou see the estimate before work starts.
- Weekend callsA heater that quits on Saturday can be reported on Saturday.
- Homes and businessesResidential tanks and heaters for Seminole-area businesses.
What do Seminole customers ask about water heaters?
The two water heater questions Seminole customers ask most are what a replacement costs and why heaters seem to wear out quickly in Oklahoma. Ledco Plumbing answers both below. For anything about your own heater, call the office at (405) 257-3096.
How much does a water heater replacement cost?
A water heater replacement costs more or less depending on the tank size, whether the heater runs on gas or electricity, and what has to change to connect the new one, such as the vent or the shutoff valve. Ledco Plumbing gives you the price before any work begins, so you can weigh it against repairing the heater you have.
Why does my water heater wear out faster in Oklahoma?
Hard water is common in Oklahoma, and heating it drops calcium and magnesium out as scale that settles on the bottom of the tank. On a gas heater that layer sits between the flame and the water, so the burner runs longer and the tank floor runs hotter. Draining a few gallons from the drain valve once a year carries some of it out.