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When to Replace Your Water Heater

water-heater-in-garage

Know Your Water Heater

Like most people, you wouldn’t bother replacing a water heater until it actually has problems. This problems usually happens at the worst possible times, when you’ve had a long day in the office and just needs a hot shower or when you have company visiting.   No matter the scenario, waiting for there to be a major problem never seems to work out at a good time.

 
Some people never suggest you replace the water heater until there’s something actually wrong with it, which as I mentioned above is a really bad idea. Water heaters can last up to ten years (fifteen if you’re lucky) but they don’t last forever. When your water heater is getting near 10 years old or older you should have a plumber check it out. The plumber would probably advise you on how much time it has left and how to manage it.

Common Issues
water-heaterMost common water heater problems are actually pretty easy to figure out yourself. For instance, when the have temperature problems, something must be wrong. The water doesn’t seem to be hot enough or actually too hot. The problem could be coming from the thermostat. Or if the tank is devoid of hot water, the problem could be a broken heating element.  The point is, when your heater starts displaying temperature problems constantly, you should not want to ignore it.

 
You should also start noticing the noises that come from the water heater. When your water tank starts creaking and banging, you can bet that there’s something wrong. It could be caused by debris buildup in the tank, coming in contact with the heating element.

 
Another early warning that your heater needs replacement would be rust. When the tank is deteriorating, the rusts finds its way into the tank making the water brownish. Rust can also buildup right under the tank ultimately lead to leaking because it eats away part of it.  One of the most common reasons for leaks is the drain valve. A loose drain valve can be a big problem to your heater because it will slowly leak water.
Too much pressure also contribute to leaks when it builds up inside the tank. Naturally, the tank would be forced to leak out the excess pressure and try to regulate it. This pressure buildup can be a result of the temperature always set too high when you’re using it.

 
water-heater-newHot water heater tanks are generally made of glass-linings. The minerals can wear out over time, cracking the tank thereby causing a leak in the tank. When this happens, the tank would definitely need to be replaced.

 
The lifespan of the water heater is important to note. All the other issues mentioned above can be a result of the tank being too old. If you got your water heater before your kids were born and you’re still using it after they’ve gone off to college, you really should consider replacing it. If it doesn’t have problems now, it would start displaying problems very soon.  Plus newer water heaters are so much more environmentally friendly and can save you a ton of money in operating costs.

 

Save Some Moola

Do yourself a favor and have your water heater inspected before you are faced with an emergency situation and no hot water in your home.  You know the old saying, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

We hope you enjoyed the article today.  If you have any topics you would like to see discussed here, please contact us and let us know.  We will be glad to consider the topic.

 

Here is a great video on how to drain and flush your water heater.  If you feel you can not do this on your own, please contact a professional plumber.

Shelly Ross

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