South of the river
Water Heater Repair in Eagan, MN
When a water heater vents out the side of the house, snow and ice become part of the repair list.
Many newer and remodeled homes in Eagan and the rest of the south metro have water heaters that vent out the side wall instead of up a chimney. Power vent tanks use a fan to push exhaust through plastic pipe. Condensing tanks and tankless units do the same and often pull their combustion air from outside through a second pipe.
Those designs work well and get rid of chimney problems. They also add a new weak spot: a vent opening a foot or two above the ground in a Minnesota winter.
Most of the calls about these heaters in winter have nothing to do with a broken part. Something outside the house is in the way.
Water heater repair in Eagan, ZIP codes 55121, 55122 and 55123
Eagan uses three ZIP codes, 55121, 55122 and 55123, and the city is split among three school districts: Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan and Burnsville-Eagan-Savage. If you are not sure which side of a line you are on, your ZIP code is the quickest thing to give when you call.
Before a water heater is replaced in Eagan, ask the plumber to confirm the permit with the city. If the vent is moving to a new spot on the wall, make sure that is part of the permitted work too.
Most Eagan water heater calls in winter are about venting: a power vent tank shut off by a drift, a condensing unit with a frozen condensate line, a tankless heater throwing a fan code. Summer calls are more ordinary, with pilots, elements and tanks due for replacement. A carbon monoxide alarm or a gas smell is an emergency at any hour. Get out of the house first and call from outside.
Snow, ice and frost at the vent
A side wall vent can get blocked by drifting snow, ice from a roof drip or frost that builds up on very cold days. When that happens, a pressure switch shuts the heater down to keep exhaust out of the house.
If your heater quits after a storm, go outside and look at the vent and intake. Clear snow and ice gently by hand. Then try restarting the heater by the steps on its label.
If it happens every winter, ask a plumber about raising the terminal, adding an extension kit the maker approves, or moving it away from a roof edge. Note how high snow piles on that side of the house in a bad year.
Combustion air in a tight house
Newer houses are built tight. A standard gas water heater needs air from the room to burn, and in a small utility room with a solid door it may not get enough. Bath fans, a kitchen hood and a dryer all pull air out of the house and make it worse.
Signs of trouble include a pilot that goes out when the dryer runs, soot near the burner, a lazy yellow flame and condensation on cold windows near the utility room. A sealed combustion heater solves it by drawing all its air from outside.
Never block the vents or louvers on a utility room door to keep the basement warmer. They are there for the heater.
Carbon monoxide
Every home with a gas water heater should have working carbon monoxide alarms, including one near the bedrooms. Test them when you change clocks.
If an alarm sounds, clear the house of people and pets, then dial 911 from the driveway. Do not go back in to look at the heater. Carbon monoxide has no smell, so trust the alarm.
Once the house is cleared, a plumber can check the venting, the draft and the burner. Gas heater faults and their usual costs are covered under water heater repair in Minneapolis as well.
Gas tanks with no fan
Plenty of houses still have a standard atmospheric gas tank that vents up through the roof or into a chimney with no fan. Those heaters depend on warm exhaust rising on its own.
In a tight house, a strong bath fan, a big range hood or a fireplace can pull air down that vent. Exhaust then spills out at the draft hood instead of going up. One test is easy. Turn on the bath fans and the kitchen hood, wait for the burner to fire, then hold a lit stick of incense beside the draft hood. The smoke should pull into the vent.
If it rolls out into the room instead, have the venting and combustion air checked soon, and make sure your carbon monoxide alarms work.
Questions from Eagan homeowners
Why did my water heater shut off after a snowstorm?
Snow or ice may be blocking the side wall vent or air intake. Clear it by hand and restart the heater following the label steps.
Can I move the vent higher?
Often, using parts the manufacturer allows. A plumber should plan it so the terminal stays clear of windows, doors and the gas meter.
Do I need a carbon monoxide alarm near the water heater?
You need working alarms in the house, including near sleeping areas. Many people add one near the utility room too.
What is a power vent water heater?
A gas tank with a fan on top that pushes exhaust out through plastic pipe to a side wall. It needs electricity to run.