Your water heater is probably the most underrated appliance in your home. Think about it—you use it every day, but do you really think about it every day? Chances are, the answer to that is no. That is, no, until something goes wrong with it.
The fact of the matter is, no water heater lasts forever. But the good news is, if yours is getting ready to fail, upgrading to a new, higher efficiency model is only going to benefit you! Today’s water heaters are much more efficient than those of even 5-10 years ago, which means that when you replace yours, you’ll start saving energy and subsequently start saving money each month.
But, how do you know it’s actually time to replace this system? Many homeowners, after all, wait until it’s too late to upgrade theirs—meaning their water heater completely breaks down and they’re left without hot water for days. This doesn’t have to be your story! Read on as we uncover the signs that it’s time for you to make the upgrade.
Old Age
Water heaters are designed to last about 8-10 years, and they can often operate longer than that. However, beyond that point, they typically start dropping in efficiency and can even start accumulating corrosion.
This is especially true if you haven’t kept up on water heater maintenance throughout the years. Your water heater should be flushed out every year or more to prevent damage from scaling.
Lack of Hot Water
Have you noticed that your shower seems to be running out of hot water by the end, even though you haven’t started taking longer showers and nothing else has changed within your household? Then it’s probably time to replace your water heater! A lack of hot water shouldn’t be something you have to work around.
Sediment can build up over time within your hot water heater on the heat exchangers, which prevents the water from picking up heat, so over the years your water heater’s capacity to provide your household with hot water declines.
Strange Noises
The sediment and scaling we mentioned above will start breaking off and rumbling around your tank, which creates a banging or rattling noise within the system. The noise is not what’s harmful (though it can certainly be a nuisance) but rather the damage it can do to the system is harmful. It can lead to cracking, leaking, and other problems within the water heater.
Rusty Colored Water
Have you noticed rust-colored water coming from your hot water tabs? This is a pretty clear sign that rust and corrosion are present in your pipes leading from the water heater or from the water heater itself. Once your water heater begins corroding, it’s absolutely essential to upgrade to a newer one—your wallet and your water quality will thank you!
Leaks
Have you been noticing water pooling around your water heater? This is never normal, and is absolutely a sign that your water heater has reached the end of its service life. Of course, you will want to contact a professional plumber to ensure that your water heater is indeed the culprit of the leak you found.
Contact Performance Plumbing to learn more about tank water heaters in St. Louis, MO!