State Water Heaters, a brand of State Industries, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of commercial and residential water heaters. State offers over 500 water heater products, and has consistently developed new technologies to ensure longer product life.

Water Heater Repair

Water is Too Hot 
Again, this is likely related to the thermostat(s) where the temperature is set too high. Simply gain access to the thermostat and adjust as needed. This may also be needed when transitioning from cold to warm seasons. For our recommended temperature setting, click here. If you cannot lower the water temperature low enough, you may need to replace your thermostat or there may be some type of wiring issue (recommended to call a professional). 

Water Takes Too Long to Reheat 
This is one of the downsides with electric water heaters. On average, recovery time (time it takes to reheat entire supply of water) on an electric model is double that of a comparable gas model. The amount of time it takes to heat up water can vary quite a bit between different models. Newer is usually better. That said, if it’s taking longer than usual for the hot water to recover, there may be an issue with the heating elements (including sediment build-up on them) or thermostat and those parts may need to be replaced. If your household tends to use more hot water now than a few years ago, you may want to consider investing in a new model with a larger capacity tank, a tankless model, or installing a point-of-use water heater that’s close to the water source you use the most (i.e. the shower). 

Low Hot Water Pressure 
Most often, those reporting to have low hot water pressure have an older home with 1/2-inch diameter galvanized piping that enters and leaves the water heater. Since water pressure is automatically limited, the only solution is to install modern 3/4-inch piping which allows more water to flow through. Sediment, calcium-deposits, and rust inside your plumbing or sink aerators may also contribute to low hot water pressure. 

Water Heater is Making Strange Noises 
If you hear popping, hissing, banging, knocking, or other strange noises from your water heater, it’s most commonly due to scale build-up on your heating elements or too much sediment build-up in the bottom of the tank. Other causes of noises include a leak somewhere, too much pressure inside the tank, or noisy pipes because of normal expanding/contracting. When your water heater is making noise, it’s often harmless but should always be looked into for piece of mind. 

Dirty or Rusty Colored Water 
Rusty hot water is often a sign of corrosion of the anode rod or even tank itself. If left untreated, your water heater will most likely need replacing once the corrosion gets serious enough for the tank to develop a leak. Replacing the anode rod is easy to do and can add years to your water heater. If the water is not rusty but dirty or discolored, it may be because of scale build-up on the heating elements or sediment that’s making its way into the hot water outlet. 

Smelly Hot Water 
Most likely, smelly or stinky hot water is due to bacteria in the tank. Homes which use well water as their water source are more susceptible to their water giving off a foul odor. Periodic flushing of the water heater may temporarily help but to actually fix the sulfur or rotten egg smell from your hot water, you’ll likely need to replace the anode rod. Better yet, consider a powered anode rod which will get rid of the smell and last the longest. A quick fix may be to increase the thermometer temperature to about 140 degrees to kill off any remaining bacteria.