Sometimes it's really easy to tell if you need to call a plumber for water heater repair, sometimes it's not. So we've put together a list of things you should check before calling one of our Burbank CA plumbers.
You know you need water heater repair if:
1. 5 minutes into your shower you get a cold surprise
2. Your utility room could double for the set of Water World
3. You hot water smells like a freshly fertilized farm field
4. Your Water heater sounds like a pinball machine
5. Your tap water is so hot is creates a cloud of steam above the faucet
6. Your dish water looks like liquid rust
But seriously, if your water is too hot or too cold this can be a problem with your water heater's thermostat. It may also be a problem with the heating element in an electric model or the gas flow valve in a gas-fired water heater.
A severe leak might be the result of the intake valve being loose, broken or corroded. It could also be corrosion in the body of the tank itself (although this would have been preceded by rust colored water for at least a week).
Popping or banging sounds from the interior of the storage 
tank point to a sediment build up at the bottom of the tank. The sediment gets heated up and causes water at the base of the tank to boil causing a popping sound. Larger piece of sediment can be projected into the side of the tank causing the banging sound.
A sediment problem can also be to blame if there is a rotten egg smell whenever you turn on a faucet. The sediment in the base of the tank combines with loose hydrogen and allows bacteria to grow. A full tank flush is about the only way to handle this problem. If the flush doesn't work a Burbank CA plumber could try a peroxide treatment to remove the bacteria.
Traditional storage tank water heaters have an anode rod in them. The entire purpose for this piece of metal is to oxidize and prevent the interior of the steel tank from rusting. If your water is running orange and brown, it's a good bet that the anode needs to be replaced.