DIY boiler repair. How to fix a water heater yourself?

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Like any other electrical device, a boiler cannot be operated 24/7 without at least monthly maintenance, not to mention replacing “depleted” components. If you think that you can buy equipment once and never look after it again, “maybe everything will be fine,” then you are deeply mistaken. Most people even use their water heater incorrectly, causing it to fail.

In our article we will provide complete instructions on how to repair a boiler yourself without the outside help of an expensive technician or a klutz neighbor. Learning to do everything yourself is not so difficult, and we will prove it to you!

The main places in the water heater that most often require repairs

Even if it is not you who are installing the heating device, but the selling company or your friends, study the technical data sheet and instructions in detail - this is the minimum that is required of you. These documents comprehensively explain which elements require special care, and also provide tips on how to repair your water heater yourself.

A large number of malfunctions are primarily associated with a leak in the water tank.In order to quickly respond to a problem that has arisen and quickly repair a water storage heater with your own hands, you must first find the location of the leak.

But not in 100% of cases we can say that the tank is broken, because other problems may arise:

• protective gaskets are depleted or completely unusable;
• heating element malfunction;
• temperature sensors or thermostat do not work as well as before, or refuse to work at all.

To protect the water heating element and reduce the number of breakdowns, a safety valve is built into the housing even at the production stage.

There are also situations when the boiler does not work due to a malfunction of the cold and hot water supply systems. Most often this happens when someone does not have enough knowledge or skills to carry out the correct installation. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you contact familiar specialists for installation or at least control the sealing of all connections (this can be checked at the points where taps, bolts, etc. are fastened - there must be a winding made of FUM tape).

In more expensive water heating systems, several heating sensors are installed at once. The first is responsible for the temperature of the water in the tank, the second is for the safety of the first, the third is for the degree of operation of the heating element.

Of course, all boilers are produced by different manufacturers, and models from the same manufacturer may differ in functionality and components. There is one similarity - the operating principle of the part is identical, and it can be replaced with a similar one in size. Everything is done very simply and with your own hands.

Recommendation: if you want your device to work faithfully for more than 10 years, do not use it with faulty elements.Fixing it is not difficult, and sometimes it will take no more than 5 minutes. And how to do this - read on.

How to repair a water heater - clean the tank

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The manufacturer often writes in the instructions that it is necessary to regularly carry out maintenance of devices. And we, as always, either miss the point or don’t read the equipment documentation at all.

In order for your boiler to work without problems and complaints, it is advisable to clean the tank at least once a year.

If the heater is not at home, but in an office or public place (high load areas), then it is better to clean it once every 6 months.

If you are afraid to disassemble the device yourself, contact the certified institution that issued the warranty card. You will receive free service. If the deadline has expired, we will study on our own, because it is not so difficult.

Boiler maintenance procedure:

1. Disconnect the machine from the power supply and turn off the water supply taps.
2. Drain all the water from the tank and close the outlet.
3. We remove the car and unscrew the mounting bolts. They are immediately visible on the body.
4. We look at the degree of contamination and try to clean all visible components.
5. We replace the protective gasket and the magnesium anode (you can immediately ask the store what they are, and then find them in the case and quickly replace them).
6. We tighten the cover, install it in place and connect all communications.

One of the most common causes of malfunction is electrical corrosion. Over time, it corrodes the walls of the tank, resulting in leaks. To avoid this, a magnesium anode is installed, which must be replaced regularly.

How to repair a water heater with your own hands: solutions for the most common reasons

The surface of the tank itself consists of several plates: the tank, insulation and outer shell. If corrosion has already begun inside, it will affect other layers of the boiler.

Let's look at the tank

Another reason for failure is mechanical damage to the internal part. This can happen due to incorrect or careless installation by the technician. How to repair the boiler in this case? Almost nothing. Even soldering scratches or holes will briefly extend the life of your equipment. Option one is a complete replacement of the system.

For us, one regularity is important: if the device is leaking, then the problem is definitely in the tank. If the breakdown can be seen immediately, on the surface, we replace the elements of the breakdown area. If there is a leak inside, repeat the steps described in the previous section.

Heater

A large number of problems arise due to heating elements. If barely warm water flows from the tap, it is not working well. How to fix a boiler in such a situation? We go through several stages. The first is checking the power supply. You will need a multimeter (tester) for this.

Follow these steps:

• We set the tester to the range of 220-250 Volts.
• We fix the values ​​with clamps on the terminals where the power supply from the boiler passes.
• If there is no voltage, then the water heater does not work.

If, nevertheless, current is supplied to the network, then you need to remove the heater cover and check all open contacts with a tester. If the heating element does not work properly or does not respond at all, we buy a new one.

Thermostat

Failure of this part can also affect the operation of the heating elements. It is checked in two ways: with a multimeter or with a lighter. Let's look at the last option:

1. Let's disassemble the thermostat.
2. Next, we find a copper contact and heat it with a lighter.
3. Before doing this, press the button (it will be clearly visible on the thermostat panel). If after heating the button clicks, then the part is working.
4. No reaction - we buy a new part and insert it in place of the unusable one.

These are the main points that affect the quality of the water heating system. There is another solution - write to us in the comments!