Plumbing Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting your home’s plumbing system forces you to look at things with an analytical eye. For homeowners in particular, that’s a great way to learn how to effectively maintain your home. From water heaters to faucets to furnaces and toilets – we’ve got troubleshooting tips for every common home plumbing problem out there.

Plumbing troubleshooting just so happens to be one of our specialties. Call Action Auger today to schedule a home inspection at your earliest convenience.

Help with Water Heater Troubleshooting

One of the more common water heater troubleshooting problems we’ve heard over the years is, “The water coming out of my taps smells like rotten eggs. How do I find out where this is coming from?”

Although more common in homes that draw their water from a well or pond, this particular smell results when hydrogen (from the anode rod in the water heater) the combines with sulfur and bacteria from the water source. To start with, it is our recommendation that you replace the existing anode rod with a new aluminum one. Next, by adding a chlorination system to the home’s water supply you will kill the bacteria currently living in the water supply.

Another common water heater troubleshooting problem is leaking – safety relief valve, drain valve or the tank itself. Here’s how you can tell where the leak is coming from:

1. If the temperature/pressure reading seems low, the relief valve is the culprit and that can be easily replaced. (Drain tank, remove the pipe attached to the valve, and unscrew the valve from the tank. Screw the new valve on the tank, reattach the pipe to the valve outlet, and refill the tank. No more leak.)

2. The drain valve can be replaced much like the relief valve, if that’s the source of your leak.

3. But if the leak appears to be coming from the tank, the heater will need to be replaced.