Is Your Hot Water Tank Overheating?
Stepping into a hot shower and burning your skin on blistering hot water is never a fun time. If you have an electric water heater and you’re experiencing this problem, it may be overheating. There are few things you should troubleshoot to find out why this is happening.
Your hot water tank may be overheating for any of the following reasons:
- Temperature is set too high. The temperature of the electric water heater could be set too high and will need to be turned down. The normal setting for a water heater is right around 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything higher than this can be too hot and overly costly; as reflected in your monthly bills.
- Mineral sediment buildup. A lot of water will have natural minerals dissolved within which will also enter your water heater. When water is heated, these minerals will begin to form clusters of sediment inside of your tank. If the heating elements are covered in sediment they can overwork themselves leading to the water heater overheating. Clean off the heating element of any sediment as well as flushing the sediment from the bottom of the tank.
- Pressure relief valve is broken. The pressure relief valve allows excess steam to release from the water heater to prevent it from overheating. When the relief valve fails or becomes stuck, steam will build up inside of the water tank. This will cause it to overheat and possibly burst in extreme situations. To have this piece checked, call a professional to check and replace the valve.
Explore Our Water Heater Services
An overheating water heater can cause harm to you and your family, as well as wasting money in bills each month. When your water heater begins to malfunction, contact the pros at Tri-City Heating and Cooling. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at (203) 303-5700.