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   ELECTRIC VS. GAS WATER HEATER REPAIR

You may be considering installing a new water heater and deciding whether to go for a gas or electric one. Before looking at the maintenance and repair differences, just a quick explanation of how each works and their pros and cons.

An electric water heater is essentially a tank that heats water using high-voltage electric heating rods that run vertically. Water is heated from the center of the tank, radiating outward.

Pros: they are cheaper to install, cleaner, safer than gas, and easier to connect because all houses have electric power.

Cons: They are slower than gas, take longer to heat the tank, and don’t work if there’s a power failure. They are also more expensive to run.   

Common repairs: We’ve already mentioned some of the repairs we often carry out on electric water heaters, including leaks, corrosion, and sediment build-up. Other common faults we deal with regularly involve replacing faulty heating elements, malfunctioning thermostats, and circuit breakers.  

A gas water heater utilizes a gas-fired burner that heats the water at the bottom of the tank. Hot water then rises to the top of the tank, where it is drawn off by a discharge tube.

Pros: The operating costs are lower than electric heaters; they heat the tank quicker and can work during power failures.

Cons: the initial cost is higher than electric heaters, they are less safe, sometimes need re-igniting of the pilot light, don’t last as long, and are not as environmentally friendly.

Common repairs: the most common faults on gas heaters involve the flow of gas and include faulty pilot lights, blocked burners, leaking gas lines or connections, faulty thermocouples (which detect whether the pilot light is lit), or pressure relief valves.

Some repairs are easy for the home handyman to carry out, but we strongly advise homeowners and those who use water heaters commercially to use professionals such as Total UC to ensure their safety – that is particularly the case with gas water heaters.

COMMERCIAL WATER HEATER REPAIR

The two main differences between residential and commercial water heaters are the tank size and the pressure at which they produce water. Residential heaters are typically around 30 to 60 gallons in size whereas commercial tanks are much larger, ranging from 100 gallons up to 500 gallons or more. 

Commercial heaters are designed for high-demand situations such as hotels and apartment buildings but can also be used in very large private homes or those with an unusually high demand for hot water.

Because commercial water heaters provide hot water for a lot more people on a daily basis, and businesses may depend on them, it’s vital that the following preventive maintenance and repairs are carried out regularly and by certified professionals such as our trained teams at MAZ PLUMBING:

• Checking the heating elements for corrosion or scaling.

• Checking wiring for loose connections or frayed wires.

• Checking and adjusting the thermostat.

• Checking the tank for signs of corrosion, as well as build-up of sediment.

Regular inspection of commercial heaters, coupled with preventive maintenance and replacement of worn parts, will extend their life, increase their efficiency, and ensure the smooth functioning of a commercial operation.

We work a great deal with commercial real estate, using our local experience in San Leandro and working with building managers to develop a comprehensive maintenance and repair program for their plumbing, including the water heating systems.

heater may signal that it’s reaching the end of its lifespan, but we don’t assume that–instead, we’ll do a thorough inspection and report on the source. If the leak shows as a pool of water at the base of the water heater, it means the inner tank is leaking, and that does mean a replacement before there’s a flood in your basement and extensive damage. 

Other areas where we may find a leak are at the pressure release valve at the top of the heater or from the drain valve situated at the bottom. In both these cases, MAZ PLUMBINGwill be able to save you the expense of replacing your heater by renewing the faulty valves.