San Clemente's City water is hard, and scale is a common reason water heaters here get noisy, lose capacity or trip their safety controls. Many of those faults can be repaired if the tank is not leaking. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in San Clemente.
Is hard water wearing out my water heater?
It may be contributing. According to the City's latest water quality report, Baker plant water measures 17 grains per gallon (293 mg/L) and Metropolitan's treated supply measures 14 grains per gallon (236 mg/L); the report does not give one number for the whole system. Water in that range leaves mineral deposits on the bottom of a tank and on electric elements. Signs include rumbling as the heater runs, hot water that runs out early and elements that fail more often than they should. Annual flushing and checking the anode rod help a repaired heater last. If your home is in Talega or the small part of north San Clemente served by another district, its water quality report will have different numbers.
What breaks most often, and can it be fixed?
The parts that wear out are predictable: thermocouples and flame sensors on gas units, elements and thermostats on electric ones, relief valves, drain valves and the dip tube that carries cold water to the bottom of the tank. All of those are replaceable. The median San Clemente home was built in 1982, and older garages and closets sometimes have venting or gas connectors that need updating at the same time. What cannot be fixed is a tank that leaks through its steel wall. Near the coast, salt air also corrodes exterior gas lines, vent caps and outdoor tankless units, so plumbers check those during a visit too.
What if I smell gas near the heater?
Leave the house and call 911 and SoCalGas at 1-800-427-2200 from outside. San Clemente gets its natural gas from SoCalGas; SDG&E supplies only the electricity here, so it is not the right call for a gas leak. Don't relight a pilot or switch anything on until the gas utility has checked the area. After that, a plumber can repair the gas connection or control valve.
A local note on permits
Most part repairs are routine. If the plumber recommends replacing the heater or reworking the gas line, the City of San Clemente Community Development Building Division is the permit office. California's earthquake bracing rule applies to every water heater, repaired or new.
Water Heater Repair questions in San Clemente
How does the local water hardness affect my water heater?
What should I do if I smell gas near the water heater?
Why does the hot water look rusty or smell odd?
Can a tankless water heater be repaired?
More plumbing services in San Clemente
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