What to do about a gas smell, scorching or a hot relief valve
When to stop and call right away
Most water heater problems are inconvenient. A few are dangerous.
- Smell of gas: leave, then call the gas utility and us from outside.
- Water spraying from the relief valve or its drain pipe: shut the cold supply and the fuel.
- Scorch marks, soot or a yellow flame on a gas unit: turn it off.
- Water around an electric unit: leave the breaker off until a plumber checks it.
What each symptom usually points to
| Symptom | Gas unit | Electric unit |
|---|---|---|
| No hot water at all | Pilot out, thermocouple or gas valve | Tripped breaker, failed upper element or thermostat |
| Lukewarm water | Dirty burner, low gas flow | Failed lower element |
| Hot water runs out quickly | Sediment, failed dip tube | Failed element or sediment |
| Popping noise | Sediment under the burner | Scale on elements |
| Dripping from the side | Relief valve or fitting | Relief valve or fitting |
Why heaters fail in cold weather
Oklahoma winters are uneven. A warm week can end with a hard freeze, and the Oklahoma Mesonet and the National Weather Service in Norman issue the warnings. Cold incoming water makes the heater work harder, and a garage or an unheated closet adds to the load.
Before a freeze, insulate exposed hot and cold lines and make sure a heater in a garage is not sitting next to a draft. If a pipe has already frozen, the problem is no longer the heater alone, and burst pipe repair may be the right call.
Repairs to a gas unit follow the International Fuel Gas Code and the manufacturer's instructions, and a plumber should check the relief valve and discharge pipe against the International Plumbing Code (IPC) while on site.
Heater not heating?
Call the 24/7 line and describe what you see. A plumber can be scheduled the same day when available.
How a repair visit works
Diagnose
The plumber checks fuel, power, thermostat, relief valve and tank condition before touching parts.
Quote
You hear what failed and what the fix costs before work starts.
Repair
The failed part is replaced, tested and the unit relit or reset.
Verify
Temperature and relief valve are tested, and you are told whether the tank has life left.
Maintenance that prevents repeat repairs
Flush the tank once a year to clear sediment, test the relief valve by lifting its lever briefly, and look for rust at the base. The anode rod is a sacrificial metal rod that protects the tank lining from corrosion, and checking it every few years can extend the tank's life.
If the repair bill is approaching the price of a new tank on an old unit, ask the plumber to compare both. Sometimes the honest answer is replacement.
What drives repair cost
Water heater repair questions
Yes. The line is open 24/7. A licensed plumber is scheduled the same day when one is available. Tell the dispatcher if the unit is gas or electric and what it is doing.
Common causes are a worn thermocouple, a dirty pilot tube or a draft. A plumber can test it quickly. A pilot that will not stay lit is also a safety signal, so do not keep relighting it.
On an electric unit the lower element is a frequent cause. On gas, a dirty burner or a failing gas valve. Heavy sediment also reduces how much heat reaches the water.
It is usually sediment boiling at the bottom of the tank. It is not an emergency by itself, but it shortens the tank's life. Ask about a flush.
There is no single age. If the tank is past a decade and the repair is expensive, compare it with replacement. A leaking tank body is always a replacement.
If the repair is not enough
Tank at end of life
Replacement is the better choice when the tank body is leaking.
Want on-demand hot water
Read about tankless water heaters and their gas and venting needs.
Piedmont homes
We serve Piedmont, 73078 along with El Reno and Yukon.