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You depend on your home’s water heater almost every day. But you can’t depend on the water heater to last every day for an eternity. With all the work a water heater does, it will eventually wear down to the point where it’s too expensive to keep repairing it and the better choice is to have a new water heater installed.
We’ll help you understand when your water heater is on its way out with these seven warning signs. If you see them, call us for water heater service in Tampa, FL.
#1. Age
The best barometer to use to measure when your water heater is getting near to replacement is its age. Check the manufacturer’s date on the exterior of the unit. If you have a standard gas-powered tank water heater, you can expect a service life between 10 to 12 years. Electric water heaters can sometimes last to 20, and tankless water heaters to 25. If your water heater is at or over its service life estimate, now is a good time to consider getting a new one.
#2. Rusty discoloration in the hot water
You turn on a hot water tap and see the water has a rusty discoloration. If the discoloration doesn’t quickly go away (indicating dirt in the pipes), it probably means that the water heater’s tank has rusted through. There’s no coming back from that—the water heater needs to be replaced.
#3. Noisy operation
Your water heater shouldn’t make much noise as it runs. You’ve had it for long enough to know how loud it’s supposed to be. When the water heater begins making a racket (rattling, banging, rumbling) as it runs, it needs professional attention right away. If it’s old enough, it’s probably best to replace it.
#4. High energy bills
Consider this: the water heater uses more energy than almost any indoor appliance in your house. When it starts to decline in energy efficiency because of age, it will cause a noticeable rise in your energy bills. Keep a watch on those bills when the water heater is getting up there in age, and plan a replacement when the bills start getting expensive.
#5. Visible leaking
The only place where you should see water dripping from your water heater is its pressure relief valve. If you notice water leaking down the sides of the tank or pooling around the base, call for professionals right away. If the leaks are extensive enough because of corrosion and aging, replace the water heater.
#6. Loss of hot water volume
Are people in your home stampeding to the showers early in the morning because the hot water keeps running out? If this hasn’t been an issue before, it’s a major warning that the water heater is losing its heating capacity because of advanced age.
#7. Visible corrosion
When corrosion starts to appear on a water heater, it usually means it’s finished. Corrosion in some places, like the heat exchanger, can be corrected by replacing the corroded component. In most cases, however, corrosion means it’s time to send the old water heater to the recycling yard.
Call The Clean Plumbers when you need a new water heater: The one with the bubbles on the trucks.