It’s the holiday season and you’re enjoying a nice cup of cocoa on a chilly winter night with the family–when you start to hear an unfamiliar sound. Even though the “drip drip drip” is new, you know exactly what it is as you start to search for it. The uneventful search turns to panic and eventually distress as you notice that your water heater is leaking.
This is unfortunately a common experience for a lot of homeowners. They don’t really come face to face with their water heaters much, until it starts to leak. And a leak can be bad for a number of reasons, not just because it’s obnoxious and wastes water, but because it can cause mold to grow and the humidity levels in your home to fall out of sync.
Let’s get one thing straight, there is a solution out there. Scheduling water heater service in Pueblo, CO is your first step toward success. Then, you’ll need to try and locate the drip so you can at least put a temporary hold on it.
Locating a Leak and Troubleshooting
First of all, you need to locate the leak and figure out where the damage is being done. It could be from a pipe that lies overhead, dripping down onto some furniture or an electronic device that you’re keeping in your basement. This is never good and means the faster you act, the better.
Bring a bucket with you and head to where your water heater is. You can usually follow the sounds it makes, or at least look at the attached pipes to your water heater and follow those. If you’ve got a tank water heater, this should be easy as it’s a large appliance and the pipes are pretty simple to see. Just be careful not to touch any of them, since one of those could be a gas line (in case you’ve got a gas water heater) and tampering with it could make things worse.
Once you’ve located the leak, use a bucket to catch the dripping water. If there’s too much water for a bucket, then we’d urge you to shut your water off so that it won’t keep gushing. And, in the event that you can’t find the leak, shutting off your water and calling for help is the next best thing.
3 Reasons Why Leaks Can Be Disruptive
So, why is this such an urgent ordeal? It’s simple.
- Dampness allows for mold growth in your home. Even overnight, a foul odor could begin to permeate through your HVAC system as your water heater feeds a mold infestation.
- It’s a waste. Don’t pay for more water than you need to!
- Humidity issues. If you’re already dealing with higher-than-average humidity, dripping water will only make that worse.
Only a Pro Can Fix It Long-Term
Only a professional technician has the tools and experience to fix this issue for the long-term. Especially if you’ve got an older water heater, you’ll need the careful and steady hand of a trained pro to make sure nothing gets bumped, broken, or comes loose.
Contact SoCo Heating and Cooling for water heater services you can count on. So Cool, So Cozy!