The most common type of water heater found in homes is the storage tank water heater. When properly sized and installed, this unit can be an efficient and reliable source of hot water throughout your home. And while innovations such as hybrid water heaters and tankless units provide alternative options to the storage tank, this unit remains popular in part because of its generally lower cost. And this low cost is possible because of its simple design which relies on natural processes for operation.
One of the important components of the storage tank water heater is the dip tube. However, this component may run into problems at some point in the life of your system which could require urgent repairs. To learn more about the dip tube, refer to our short guide. For water heater repair in Cary, NC, call on the professionals at Ideal Services Heating & Cooling.
The Role of the Dip Tube
The dip tube allows cold water from your water line into the tank. This tube is made of plastic and is nearly as long as the tank portion of your unit. Water comes in through the top of the tank and through the dip tube, which leads all the way to the bottom. Here, there is an electric heating element or gas burner that heats the water. Then, the heat rising process allows the heated water to rise above the denser cold water, so it can move through a smaller tube at the top of the tank whenever hot water is needed.
What Can Go Wrong
However, the dip tube may be prone to cracking or breaking apart. Cracks in the tube can mean that small amounts of cool water leak into your tank, so that you feel occasional bursts of cold water during a hot shower. A broken tube will be even worse, leaving your system extremely ineffective. Broken plastic parts can also clog your tank or block the faucet aerators in your home.
Don’t go without enough hot water for any longer. If you need professional water heater repair in Cary, NC, call Ideal Services Heating & Cooling right away!
