A water heater is one of those appliances that people don’t see the need to replace at intervals. In fact, many people prefer spending money fixing it so they can make the most out of the appliance, rather than replacing it.
But the reality is, a heater won’t last forever and will need to be replaced once it goes beyond its average lifespan.
Wondering what this average lifespan is and the point at which your water heater needs to be changed? We put together 7 signs that indicate the replacement of your heater is necessary. Here they are:
It is very old
This means you’ve been using your water heater for more than 12 years. An average water heater isn’t made to survive more than 15 years of use –except you have a tankless water heater, which can last up to 20 years. This lifespan may even reduce if the amount of hot water your household uses is beyond average.
You can check out your water heater’s lifespan in the user manual or ask a professional plumbing installation and repair franchise to determine the time frame for you.
You don’t have to wait until your water heater gives up on you while having a shower. Change it as soon as you can!
It starts to leak
A good water heater doesn’t leak or show the water it contains from merely looking at it. However, suppose this isn’t the case, and you begin to notice puddles around your heater even when it isn’t turned on. Then, it might be an indication that you need to replace it.
Water heater maintenance may not get rid of the leaks and may reduce the quality of water in it. If proper care isn’t taken, it could lead to a serious problem, such as a sudden tank burst.
What you should do is turn off the water heater, close the cold water valve feeding the tank, and contact a plumbing service to get a new one. If you reside in Charlotte, North Carolina, you can contact Superior Plumbing and Drains, LLC.
It starts to make abnormal noise
Note that unimpaired water heaters don’t make abnormal popping noises. Whenever you hear cracks and pops from your heater, it’s an indication that something is wrong with it.
Most of the time, the popping sound indicates mineral sediment build-ups in your water heater.
Impurities such as dissolved calcium and magnesium salt from hard water can settle down to create a scale in your water heater. This scale forms a barrier in the heater and eventually causes it to overheat. Excessive overheating can lead to a sudden leak or burst of the entire tank.
The best thing to do when you begin to hear constant weird noise from your water heater is to stop using it as soon as you can and make replacement plans right away.
It gets frequently repaired
Repairs are necessary, no doubt. However, when you have to repair your water heater almost every time because it keeps breaking or leaking, you know it’s time to shift gears and replace it. Any appliance in a good state shouldn’t have to be at the repairer’s too often.
Constant repairs mean only one thing — you’ll continue to make repairs until one day, you can repair it no more. It’s better to invest the money used for repairs into the purchase of a replacement.
It gives rusty and colored water
Water is a colorless liquid. However, with a bad water heater, the story might be a little different. When you start getting a rusty brown colored water from your water heater, it may imply that there’s a problem with it. Your water heater will give discolored water if the tank is corroded or the or the anode is worn out. Contacting a professional and replacing the water heater is the best thing to do when you have a corroded tank.
It gives reduced intensity or no hot water at all
Of what use is a water heater that doesn’t supply hot water? Pretty useless, maybe. If you begin to get lukewarm water or no hot water at all from your water heater, then you sure know your heater has a problem. Usually, this can happen as a result of two things. First, there’s a misadjusted thermostat or broken element somewhere, or simply that your heater isn’t good anymore. With the former, water heater maintenance can fix the problem. But with the latter, there’s nothing you can do other than to replace it with a new one.
Even if you’re able to manage the other signs of a bad heater for a while, it’s hardly possible for you to work with a heater that doesn’t supply hot water. Hardly.
It starts to smell
Another property of water? It’s odorless! However, if water from your heater gives a metallic smell (or taste), then you know something isn’t right. Grits and flakes inside the tank may cause the heater to smell. When this happens, a water heater replacement is the next line of action.
New Water Heater Repair and Water Heater Installation in Charlotte, NC
If there’s a list of things you can do without, water is absolutely not on the list. Constant repairs of your water heater will not always be the solution to your water heater problems. Sometimes, you just need to man up and make those changes.
With over 30 years of experience and knowledge in plumbing services, Superior Plumbing and Drains, LLC offers reliable and friendly consultations and installation services for residential and commercial buildings. Specially, we offer a 24/7 emergency service to fix and install water heaters with a one year guarantee.
To get the best plumbing offers in the business and get your water heater supply running again, contact us today by giving us a call at (704) 289-6858 if you live in the Monroe/Charlotte area or (704) 813-2888 if you live in the Gaston area!
