If you take excellent care of your water heater, and you’re a bit lucky, you can expect to get many years of service out of it. Even the best-kept water heater won’t last forever, though. If you’re not sure whether or not your current water heater can get you through the next season, now would be an excellent time to install a new one. You don’t want your water heater to break down permanently in the middle of winter, do you? Have a look at some of the signs that you should install a new water heater sooner rather than later.
Struggling to Provide Hot Water
If you’re one of those people who likes to take long, luxurious showers, you probably already know that you’ll run out of hot water eventually. The same is true of households where a lot of people need to use hot water at once. As a water heater ages, though, it will gradually lose its ability to meet even moderate demand for hot water. The wear and tear on the various parts of the system will slowly rob it of its heating capacity. If your water heater seems to be having trouble providing even a moderate amount of hot water, then you might need to replace it. Consult with a professional to make sure that it isn’t some other problem first, though.
High Repair Frequency
If your water heater breaks down and needs repairs every few years, that’s not such a big deal. The occasional need for repairs is to be expected with most home systems. There’s a pretty big difference between that and needing to repair the system every few months, though. A water heater that needs repairs multiple times a year is almost certainly at the end of its life. If you need to repair your water heater that frequently, you should consult with a technician about replacing it as soon as possible. It’s much more cost-effective in the long run to install a new system entirely than to replace it one part at a time.
Old Age
Under ideal circumstances, you can expect the average water heater to last around 15 years. You might be able to get a couple more beyond that, but don’t go expecting to have yours around for 20-30. Once a water heater passes the age of 15, it begins to accumulate a whole list of issues like those we discussed above. As the pile of chronic problems mounts, the system becomes more and more expensive to keep up and running. This makes it increasingly more difficult to justify keeping the old system instead of installing a new one. If you have a water heater that is older than 15, contact us and ask about installing a new system. You’ll be glad you did.
Performance Plumbing provides comprehensive water heater installation services in St. Louis, MO. If you need a new water heater installed or serviced, we’re here for you. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our water heater technicians.