Last Updated on November 29, 2022 by Asif Iqbal Shaik
In our Geyser Maintenance Guide, we discussed the best practices to keep an electric water heater working efficiently and away from any kind of problems. However, despite taking all those precautions, it is possible for an electric geyser can develop problems and, even worse, stop working in the midst of cold winters. Well, it is not uncommon, given that a water heater is one of the most used appliances in our homes, especially during winter.
A few of the geyser problems could be very basic, and they could be solved free of cost at home by following a few simple troubleshooting tips. Other problems might require you to contact the service centre to get your water heater up and running again. In this article, we’ve listed the most common water heater problems, the reasons that are causing those issues, and their solutions. Let us take a look.
Common Electric Water Heater And Geyser Problems
- Electric Geyser Is Not Turning On
- Electric Water Heater Is Turning On But Not Heating Up The Water
- The Geyser Is Taking A Long Time To Heat Up The Water
- Water Heater Temperature Display Is Not Working
- Geyser Is Warming Up The Water Beyond (Or Lower Than) The Set Temperature
- No Water Coming From The Water Heater (Or) Low Water Pressure From The Geyser
- Burning Smell From The Water Heater
- Water Leaking From The Geyser (Or Connectors/Valves)
- Dirty, Smelly, Or Discoloured Water From The Water Heater
- Geyser Is Making Weird Noises
1. Electric Geyser Is Not Turning On
A. Power Button On The Water Heater Is Switched Off
While most water heaters turn on by switching on the power outlet socket on your wall, a few geysers have an additional power button, which is usually located on their water tanks. So, in addition to the electrical socket, you also have to turn on the power button on the geyser to turn on your water heater. Although this is a very basic thing, it gets overlooked by many people.
B. The MCB Connected To The Geyser Power Outlet Has Tripped
An electric water heater consumes the highest, if not one of the highest, amount of electricity among all the electronic appliances in our homes, and that puts a lot of load on the electric system. In addition to that, geysers are mostly placed in bathrooms, a place where there is a high chance of water splashing over the water heater or the power outlet socket, causing a short circuit.
Either due to the high load on the electric system or short-circuit, it is possible that an MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker) has tripped and has shut down the power supply to the electrical socket powering your water heater, and that is why your geyser isn’t turning on. In this case, locate the MCB distribution board in your house, open its cover, and turn on any MCB that has been tripped. Performing this step will resume the power supply to your geyser, and it should now turn on.
C. Water Heater Power Outlet Socket Is Faulty
If the MCB powering your geyser hasn’t tripped, the problem could most likely be with the power outlet socket connected to your water heater. Although electrical sockets are robust and last a very long time, they do have a definite lifespan. That means, either due to age, or other problems, power outlet sockets could fail.
To check if that’s the issue, supply power to your water heater using a power extension board that’s connected to another electrical outlet at your home (make sure that the power extension strip is rated at 16A). If the geyser turns on when connected to another power outlet socket, it means the electrical socket to which your water heater was connected earlier is the culprit. If that’s the case, you need to call an electrician and get the power outlet socket replaced. That should solve your problem.
D. There Is A Problem With Your Geyser
If you’ve checked all the issues mentioned above and your water heater still isn’t turning on, it means that there’s a problem with your geyser’s electrical system. At this point, you need to call the service centre to get the geyser repaired. Alternatively, you can reach out to Onsitego. We offer Geyser Repairs at affordable prices and high-quality repairs.
2. Electric Water Heater Is Turning On But Not Heating Up The Water
A. The Voltage Is Low
If the power supply indicator on your geyser is turned on, but the water heater isn’t heating up the water, it is possible that the problem is being caused by low voltage. The simplest way to know if you are getting the right voltage from the electrical grid is to check if the other electronic appliances at your home are working properly. If the voltage is low, the lights will not light up properly, or they could flicker, and other electronics will not turn on or could misbehave. If the voltage is low, wait for some time until the voltage stabilises, or call up the electrician.
If the power supply at your home regularly faces voltage issues, you should install a voltage regulator for your water heater.
B. Heating Element, Thermostat, Or PCB Could Be Faulty
If the problem isn’t with the voltage, the issue could most likely be related to the heating element, the component that’s responsible for heating up the water. It could’ve failed because of its age, irregular voltage, or build-up of limescale due to hard water. The thermostat or the PCB could also be the culprits. It is hard to tell the exact problem without opening up the geyser. Since this job is better left to the experts, you could either call an authorised service centre or reach out to Onsitego for Geyser repairs.
3. The Geyser Is Taking A Long Time To Heat Up The Water
A. Formation Of Limescale Has Reduced The Efficiency And Performance Of Your Geyser
Your water heater has a component called a heating element. It converts electricity to heat up the water. If you supply hard water to your geyser, the minerals and salts in the water stick to the heating element and form scaling (a white-coloured chalk-like substance). The formation of scale decreases the rate at which the heat gets transferred from the heating element to the water.
As a result, your geyser takes up a long period of time to heat up the water. It also means that the water heater consumes more electricity. As the build-up of scale increases, the efficiency and performance of your water heater decrease. The only solution to this problem is to remove the scale manually by opening up the geyser.
At this point, it would be best to call the authorised service centre to get your water heater checked. If you are worried about high service charges, you can reach out to Onsitego. We offer Geyser Maintenance Service for just ₹399. If there’s any other problem with your water heater, we take care of those as well at affordable prices.
B. One Of The Two Heating Elements Has Stopped Working
Most geyser manufacturers nowadays are equipping water heaters with two heating elements instead of one due to the various benefits this approach offers. If your water heater is heating up the water, but it is taking a longer period of time to do the job compared to before, then it is very much likely that one of the two heating elements has stopped working.
As mentioned earlier, the heating element could stop working due to a number of reasons, and that includes irregular voltage, formation of limescale, faulty wiring, or because the heating element has reached the end of its lifespan. Either way, the only solution is to inspect the problem by opening up the geyser and replacing the heating element.
4. Water Heater Temperature Display Is Not Working
If the display on your geyser that shows the temperature isn’t working, the only possible problem is that it has failed. While these displays usually cost very less, sometimes they come as a part of the PCB, and that requires you to replace the PCB, which could be a costly affair. Also, you need to call a technician to get the display replaced.
5. Geyser Is Warming Up The Water Beyond (Or Lower Than) The Set Temperature
Your water heater has a component called a thermostat. It turns on the heating element whenever the temperature of the water inside the geyser falls below the desired water temperature set by the user. Similarly, it turns off the heating element whenever the temperature of the water reaches the desired temperature set by the user.
If the thermostat develops a fault, it might not be able to measure the temperature of the water properly and/or it might not able to turn the heating element on or off. As a result, your geyser may heat up the water beyond or lower than the set temperature. To fix the problem, you need to get the thermostat replaced.
6. No Water Coming From The Water Heater (Or) Low Water Pressure From The Geyser
A. No Water In The Overhead Tank
Your water heater gets the water from the overhead water tank, and if there’s no water in the overhead tank, your geyser won’t get any, and therefore, you won’t get any water from the shower head or the water tap. So, the first thing you need to check if you aren’t getting water from the geyser or if the water pressure in your shower head is low is if there is water in the overhead tank.
B. The Water Valve Is Fully Or Partially Closed
If there’s water in the overhead tank, but you are still not getting the water from the geyser, the problem is most likely with the valves supplying water to your water heater. There are two valves that bring the cold water to your geyser, one on the bathroom wall and one on the geyser. Then there are two valves that take the hot water from the geyser to the shower head, one on the water heater and one on your bathroom wall.
It is possible that the position of one or multiple valves has been changed accidentally, and therefore, the valve(s) is not allowing the water to enter the geyser or go back from it to the shower head. Check the position of the valves and make sure that all the valves are fully open. Sometimes, it is also possible that the valve has been clogged due to the formation of limescale. In that case, you need to call a plumber and get the valve cleaned.
C. The Water Is Leaking From The Water Connector
Depending on the make and model of your geyser, it could either come with connectors or valves for taking the cold water in and sending the hot water out. Similarly, your plumbing system, supplying cold water to your geyser, and taking the hot water back to the shower head, could either use connectors or valves.
In some cases, due to the formation of limescale or the age of the parts, the connectors or the valves could start leaking. As a result of the loss of water, your shower head might not get enough water pressure. So, check the connectors/valves connected to your geyser for water leakage. If you find a leakage, get it fixed by a plumber.
D. Your Shower Head Is Clogged With Salt
If there’s water in the overhead tank and all the connectors/valves are working properly, but you are still not getting enough water pressure in your shower head, the problem could be with the shower head itself. It could have been clogged with limescale due to the usage of hard water.
The easiest solution to this problem is to remove the formation of sediment from the nozzles of the shower head using a pointed tool, such as a pin. Once the nozzles are clean, you should get back the lost water pressure. Some shower heads have different settings for different types of spray patterns. So, don’t forget to check if that’s what’s causing the issue.
7. Burning Smell From The Water Heater
If there’s a burning smell from your water heater, the first you need to do is switch off its power outlet and get away from it. The burning smell could be a sign of an overheated or failed element. It is hard to point out the exact problem without opening up the geyser. The problem could be with the heating element, electrical wires, or PCB. So, get your water heater inspected before turning it on again.
8. Water Leaking From The Geyser
A. The Temperature Of Water Or Its Pressure Is Too High
If the temperature or the pressure of the water inside your water heater is too high, the tank could expand and eventually burst, causing serious injuries to people around it. To avoid the situation, your geyser comes with a temperature and pressure release valve (more commonly known as a T&P valve or TRP valve).
The T&P valve opens itself up automatically if the temperature of the water goes above 98 degrees Celsius or if the pressure of the water inside the tank crosses 150 PSI to release water/pressure and save your geyser from bursting up. So, if there’s water leaking from your geyser, it could most probably be from this valve.
If that’s the case, switch off your geyser, get to a safe distance from it, and call the authorised service centre to get the issue checked. It is also possible that the water is leaking from this valve because the valve itself is faulty and not because the temperature or pressure is too high. If that’s the culprit, you need to replace the valve with a new one.
B. Cracked Water Storage Tank
Either due to a manufacturing defect or the age of your geyser, its water storage tank could develop a crack, causing the water to leak. Although this issue occurs very rarely, it could certainly be a possibility for the water leaking from your water heater. The only solution to this problem is getting the water storage tank replaced.
9. Dirty, Discoloured, Or Smelly Water From The Water Heater
A. Insides Of Your Water Heater Are Getting Corroded
Over time, the components of your water heater, such as the water tank, heating element, and other metal parts, could get corroded. There are a number of things that could cause corrosion, including the usage of hard water with the water heater, the weather in which the geyser is being operated, the age of the water heater, and the lack of maintenance.
Depending upon the seriousness of the issue, the corrosion could turn the colour of the water to reddish-brown. This dirty water is not only a sign that your water heater is failing, but it could also cause serious health issues. So, if you are getting discoloured or dirty water from your heater, stop using it immediately and get your geyser checked for problems.
B. Sediments Collected Inside Geyser Are Causing The Issue
As mentioned in this article earlier, hard water contains high amounts of minerals and salts, and over time, these sediments could form scale on the heating element, on the walls and the bottom of the water storage tank, and on other components. Since the layer of scale is hard and brittle, it doesn’t usually mix with water.
However, in a few scenarios, especially in a situation where you are using the geyser after a long time, these sediments could mix with the water, making it look dirty and not safe for usage. What’s the solution to this problem? Well, opening up the geyser and removing the scale is the best solution to this problem. So, call a geyser service expert right away.
C. Formation Of Sulphate Bacteria Inside The Geyser Tank
Most of the time, when people complain about smelly water from their geyser, they describe the water as stinking like rotten eggs. The issue is usually caused by the formation of sulphate-reducing microorganisms inside the water tank. This bacteria usually build up in stagnant water and more so when the water is warm. That means the issue is most likely to happen when you don’t use the geyser for too long, or you keep running the geyser without using the hot water in it.
The easiest way to get rid of this problem is to flush the stagnant water out from the water storage tank of your geyser. To do that, close the valve that brings the water to your water heater and turn on the tap/shower head connected to the geyser. This process should empty the water in your water heater. Once the tank is free of the stagnant water, turn on the water inlet valve, and now you should be able to enjoy odour-free water.
10. Geyser Is Making Weird Noises
It is not uncommon for water heaters to make weird noises as they get older. As mentioned in this article multiple times, the hard water could lead to the formation of scale inside the geyser. Over time, the build-up of scale could get excessive. At that point, the thick layer of the limescale could start breaking into small pieces due to the heat generated by the geyser. So, the weird noise that you are hearing from your geyser is most likely the sound of the limescale breaking into small pieces and falling at the bottom of your geyser’s water tank.
The formation of scale, apart from making weird noise when it breaks into pieces, reduces the efficiency of your geyser, making it take a longer period of time to heat the water and consume more electricity. This weird sound is also an indication that your geyser needs maintenance. The simplest solution to this problem is to clean your water heater from the inside. Since this job requires opening up the geyser, it is best to get it serviced by the experts.
We hope that you were able to help with your water heater’s problem. If the issue that you are facing with your electric geyser is not mentioned in this article, you could call us, and our geyser experts will be at your doorstep to check for it.
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