Appliances that run your household need to run smoothly for proper function. Your home’s water heater is vital for everyday living in the home. The average household uses warm, running water for washing hands, showering, cooking and doing laundry. Eventually, you’ll have to replace your water heater. It’s important to know the signs that it’s time to replace your water heater.
Your water heater is getting old
The average life expectancy of the average water heater is 8-10 years. As your water heater gets older, it may start to show symptoms of needing to be replaced. It is best to replace your water heater a decade after its manufactured date.
Your water heater is get getting rusty
If you notice your water heater getting rusty, it could be signs that you have damage. Watch for rust-colored water, which could mean that you have corroded pipes. The last thing you want is for corroded pipes to cause your water heater to bust, flooding your home.
Your water heater is making unusual noises
Sediment can settle at the bottom of the tank and harden. Once the sediment is hardened, you may notice unusual noises coming from your water heater. Hearing clanging from your water heater is a sign that it’s time to replace it.
Your water heater is leaking
Small leaks can make big problems, especially if you let it linger for long periods of time. To prevent major problems, repair leaks as soon as possible. However, small leaks can often be difficult to detect. If you find any water near your water heater, check pipes and fixtures. If you find a leak, call ASAP Plumbing to help you replace your water heater.
Your water heater is not heating water
If your water heater isn’t making warm water or if the warm water doesn’t last long, it could mean that an element of your electric water heater isn’t working correctly or your burner is going bad in a gas heater.
Your water bill is climbing
Water heaters lose efficiency as they age. Sediment in the bottom of the tank insulates the burner or heating element from the water it’s trying to warm, so the unit runs longer and harder to deliver the same shower. The result is a slow creep on your monthly utility bill that’s easy to miss until you compare a few statements side by side.
Pull the last six months of bills and look at the trend. If usage has stayed about the same in your household but the cost is rising steadily, the water heater is a likely culprit. A newer unit running at full efficiency can pay back part of the cost of replacement just on the energy savings.
You’re running out of hot water faster than you used to
If a shower that used to last fifteen minutes now turns cold halfway through, the heater is losing usable capacity. This is almost always a sediment problem. As mineral buildup takes up volume at the bottom of the tank, less of the tank is left to actually hold hot water. A 50-gallon tank with three inches of sediment is, in practical terms, a 40-gallon tank.
Annual flushing can hold this off for a while, but once a tank has gone several years without maintenance the buildup can be too thick to clear. At that point, replacement is the more practical fix.
The repair bills are adding up
One repair on a relatively new water heater is normal. A second or third repair on a unit that’s already eight or ten years old is a different story. The general rule is that if a single repair costs more than half the price of a new unit, replacement is the better call. The same goes for any repair on a tank that’s already past its expected life.
Keep a small log of every service call. If you see two or three visits in a single year, the math has usually already tipped toward replacement even if each individual repair felt manageable.
Thinking about a tankless upgrade
Replacement is also the moment to think about whether a tank-style water heater is still the right fit for your home. Tankless models heat water on demand, which means no standby loss and no running out of hot water during back-to-back showers. They also take up less wall space and tend to last longer than tanks.
Tankless isn’t right for every home. Larger families with simultaneous hot water demands sometimes need either a high-capacity unit or two smaller ones. The right answer depends on your gas line size, electrical service and how the household actually uses hot water. A licensed plumber can size the unit to fit before you commit either way.
Getting the most life out of a new water heater
Once the new unit is in place, a few habits will keep it running well for years:
- Flush the tank once a year to clear sediment
- Test the temperature and pressure relief valve at least annually
- Set the thermostat to 120 degrees, which is hot enough for the household and easier on the tank
- Inspect the anode rod every few years and replace it before it’s fully consumed
- Check the area around the base for any sign of moisture or rust
Coastal humidity along the Mississippi Gulf Coast is hard on metal. Homes in Gulfport, Biloxi and the surrounding areas tend to see corrosion show up sooner than the same unit would in a dry climate, so the inspections matter even more here. A few minutes of annual attention is the difference between a heater that goes ten years and one that goes fifteen.
ASAP Plumbing, located in Gulfport, MS, can help you get premium services and installations of water heaters. Let us help you today by calling us at (228) 865-ASAP.