These Signs Indicate that You’re In Need Of a New Water Heater

It’s often easy to take your home’s water heater for granted, but it’s the one thing that enables you to enjoy a relaxing hot bath once in a while. After all, you wouldn’t want to end up dipping your foot in cold water when you’re expecting a warm bath. That’s why you must pay close attention to your water heater and deal with possible problems effectively.

What if your water heater seems to have more problems than usual? Consider having it replaced immediately rather than waiting for it to fail completely. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to spot the signs of a failing water heater.

Lack of Hot Water

As the water heater does its task of heating the water, minerals tend to separate and settle to the bottom of the tank. In time, a buildup of these mineral deposits causes the water supply to receive less heat. Soon enough, the supply of hot water begins to diminish, while the water heater begins leaking.

Noises

Generally, water heaters aren’t supposed to make banging or rumbling sounds. Once you do hear these noises, it generally indicates that sediments have already settled and hardened on the bottom of the tank. The presence of these sediments lessens the water heater’s efficiency and causes more damage to the metal tank. Soon, you might even notice small leaks due to these sediments causing cracks in the tank.

Seeing Rusty Water

There are two possible causes for rusty water. If it comes from the hot side piping, it indicates that your water heater is already rusting on the inside and might begin to leak. For homes with galvanized piping, though, rusty water might come from rusty pipes.

Conduct a simple check by draining five-gallon buckets of hot water from the water heater. If the water from the heater remains rusty by the third bucket, it’s time to have it replaced.

Water Around the Tank

Seeing moisture around your water heater might mean that the tank has a small leak or a fracture. This is not always the case, though, so make sure that there are no other leaks by checking the fittings or connections to the tank.

Age

Perhaps the simplest way to determine if your water heater needs immediate replacement is by knowing its age. You can simply check the unit’s age by looking at the manufacturer’s sticker on the water heater. Water heaters have a typical lifespan of 10 to 15 years, though it’s possible for some units to last longer. As a general rule, however, water heaters that are more than 10 years old should be replaced.

Once you spot these signs, don’t hesitate to call professionals from companies like Capital Plumbing & Heating. With their help, you can enjoy hot water from your taps whenever you need it.

Capital Plumbing & Heating Ltd.

With over 20+ years of industry experience, Capital Plumbing offers the best in the business if you need expert plumbing, heating, cooling, or HVAC services in Edmonton that you can trust for the long term.