Just because your water heater stopped working, does not mean that it needs to be replaced. Many green and untrained plumbing technicians cannot find what is wrong with a water heater, and immediately say a replacement is necessary. At Tennessee Standard, our water heater specialists are the best at determining what is wrong with water heaters and giving you all your repair and replacement options so that you can make the best decision for your home and your budget.

This problem requires a different solution depending on what kind of water heater you have. Below are some of the most common explanations for each one: Electric Heaters: Electric heaters are known to build more sediment and scale than any other kind of water heaters. This is because the electric elements that heat the water create extreme heat right around the elements that create a catalyst for pulling hardness out of the water and depositing it into the tank. Often the elements need to be replaced to solve this problem. Gas Water Heaters: Gas Water Heaters need to have their burner cleaned to keep the flame heating the water consistently. The other thing that could be causing a gas heater to heat inconsistently is the gas thermostat or control valve may not be reading temperature correctly. If the heater is turned all the way up, and the temperature still inconsistent or not hot enough, something is wrong. Call a professional from Tennessee Standard to get to the bottom of it ASAP.

International Plumbing Code requires a maximum temperature of 120 Degrees Fahrenheit at showers and hand faucets. At 120 Degrees, it would take five minutes of direct skin contact to cause a 3rd degree burn. At 127 Degrees, it only takes 1 minute to cause a 3rd degree burn. At 140 Degrees, it takes only 5 seconds to create a 3rd degree burn! At Tennessee Standard, we generally set our water heaters at 125 Degrees so that by the time the hot water gets to the faucet or shower, thermal loss (the amount of heat that escapes the water while running through the pipe) drops the temperature 5 degrees or more and the homeowner gets 120 degree water at their shower. This guarantees a hot shower while mitigating the risk of scalding for the user.

There is nothing more annoying than running out of hot water in the middle of a shower! Here's the good news: “Running out of hot water does not have to be a normal thing!” Before we get into the solutions, here are the most common causes for running out of hot water: With tank-style water heaters, the hot water typically runs out because of a problem with the heat source, or because of a lack of volume in the tank. If the heat source is the problem, the elements or burner may need to be replaced depending on whether the heater is gas or electric. If the volume of hot water is the problem, either the tank is full of sediment and scale (likely if the heater is ten years old) or the tank is just undersized for the hot water demands placed on the system. Properly sized tankless water heaters only run out of hot water when a component is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced. Tankless heaters need to be diagnosed by a tankless heater specialist to nail down the exact part to replace. Either way, booking an appointment with one of our class-act licensed technicians will give you all your options for unlimited hot water. Professionally designed plumbing systems do not run out of hot water. Tennessee Standard can make this problem go away!

If your water heater is leaking, follow these four steps to prevent damage to your home:

1. Immediately shut off the water using the valve near the inlet line.

2. Turn off the electricity or gas fueling your water heater. There should be a gas valve near the gas connection and an electrical disconnect at the heater or breaker panel. (If the electricity is kept on, water from the leak my find the wiring and cause the power to arc and cause damage. We have replaced water heaters that almost started a fire this way.)

3. Connect a hose to the drain port after the gas and electricity are turned off and drain down the water heater. If the heater is left full of water, it may continue to leak out 50 gallons of water into your home even after the water feed is shut off.

4. Schedule a same-day appointment with Tennessee Standard and get all your options for fixing your water heater so you don't have to deal with this anymore.

A full tank of cold water can take quite some time to heat up. Properly working electric heaters can usually go from cold to fully hot in about an hour. Gas tank heater can usually get fully hot in about half the time because their recovery rate is much higher. Tankless heaters heat water instantly and are almost always the best solution for endless hot water. If your water heater seems to be taking longer than this to heat up or if you run out of water before even finishing a shower or two, something is wrong with the water heater. Schedule an appointment with one of our water heater specialists at Tennessee Standard and get all your options for repairing or replacing your water heater so that this problem goes away.

Water heater efficiency makes a big difference over time. Tank heaters heat constantly to always keep that tank of water hot. Tankless heaters are far more efficient because they quickly power down when hot water is not running. On average, tankless heaters can save a client anywhere from $150 to $500 per year in energy savings. Over its estimated 20-year lifespan (twice that of tank heaters), that means it is capable of saving the homeowner anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000.

Tankless Water Heaters have been becoming more and more popular over the last decade. The tankless technology has advanced significantly over the past couple years, making them a superior choice to tank heaters on a consistent basis. Here are our top four reasons for loving tankless water heaters.

1. Tankless Heaters are More Efficient: Tankless heaters instantly heat water as it flows through the unit. When hot water is turned off, the heater powers down and consumes almost zero energy until hot water is turned on again. This can result in substantial savings over the years.

2. Tankless Heaters Have a Longer Lifespan: Tankless water heaters have a life expectancy of 20 years! This means that tank heaters must be replaced twice for each/' replacement of a tankless heater. Combine that savings with $3,000 to $10,000 in energy savings over its lifespan, and it makes tankless heaters the best long term financial decision almost every time.

3. Tankless Heaters Provide Endless Hot Water: Because properly sized tankless heaters immediately heat water to full temperature as it flows through the unit, tankless heaters can generate endlessly hot water as long as it is demanded. If company is over, everyone is getting a hot shower every time.

4. Tankless Heaters Take up Less Space: Tankless heaters take up about the same space as a wall hung kitchen cabinet. There is usually plenty room below for additional appliances or to park your trash can. If extra space is important to you, tankless is the way to go!