How To Fix A Water Heater That Keeps Turning Off?
Water heaters provide you with hot water as and when required. They even keep the water warm in the storage tank for immediate use. These mechanisms are used on the regular and have slowly turned into a necessity for most of us, despite the high electric bills that they cause. After all, who wants to have an icy shower in the middle of winter?
But what if they start malfunctioning? Water heaters can face problems and turn off because of various reasons. Continue reading this informative piece to know how to fix an electric and gas water heater that keeps turning off.
How To Fix A Water Heater That Keeps Turning Off?
How To Fix a Water Heater Keep Turning Off?
Let’s see some of the ways you can fix a water heater that keeps shutting down.
1. Dirty Thermocouple
Whenever the water radiator gets lit, gas gets discharged into the burner by a valve, and the pilot light catches that gas. After around 30 seconds, heat from the touched-off pilot light flame starts off the electrical switch known as the thermocouple. It helps ensure that the pilot’s gas supply is open and the water heater continues to work.
One of the most common reasons that the gas water heater keeps turning off can be because of a dirty, bent, or damaged thermocouple. Check the thermocouple to see if it is dirty.
If it is, you’ll need to turn off the gas to let the thermocouple cool down. After that, you can take the help of fine sandpaper to clean it.
2. Dirty Pilot Tube
Over time, the pilot light tube can get dirty or sooted, which can cause a weak flame and stop the pilot light from lighting. If you can see a weak and flickering yellow flame from your pilot burner rather than a blue flame of a ½ inch, then it’s time for cleaning. The pilot tube can get cleaned with the help of a needle. However, if the issue is still there, you should call a professional plumber.
Calling a professional plumber all the time can get expensive and frustrating. One easy solution that you have here is to invest in a home warranty. A home warranty covers plumbing problems and assigns a trained technician to repair your broken appliance or system.
Typically, a home warranty also includes all the repairs to interior plumbing as and when required. All you need to do is pay a nominal annual premium service in return for these services.
You need to choose an ideal home warranty company as per your requirements. Going through different company policies will help you make the right decision.
3. Damaged or Bent Thermocouple
The thermocouple may end up malfunctioning because of damage due to a forceful impact or old age. You can rectify the thermocouple by bending it near the pilot light. Despite this, if the problem persists, you’ll need to call a professional for help.
4. Dirty or Clogged Air Inlet
One of the reasons your water heater keeps turning off is a dirty or clogged air inlet. As the air inlet screens are at the bottom of the water heater, they get clogged with dust or other kinds of debris. In such instances, it won’t let enough air pass to keep the gas burners on, and as a result the water heater will automatically shut down.
It is recommended to turn off the gas supply if you notice a smell of natural gas coming from your water heater. Also, in this case, you should reach out to your gas company for assistance.
5. A Bad Gas Valve
If there’s no problem with your pilot light or thermocouple, it is most likely with your water heater’s gas valve. Your gas water heater will shut down if the gas supply to the pilot light or burners gets restricted because of a damaged gas valve or its inner elements. You will need to hire a plumber to repair or replace the gas valve.
Apart from these issues, one of the significant problems you can face because of water heaters is increased energy bills, especially during the winter season. In this case, you should learn the tricks to reduce heating bills. Learning these will help you stay safe from hefty bills around the year.
Final Words
Dirty thermocouples, dirty pilot tubes, damaged or bent thermocouples, dirty or clogged air inlets, and bad gas valves are the main reasons why a water heater keeps turning down. To avoid this, you should regularly clean your water heater and invest in regular maintenance and service.