Signs That It’s Time To Replace Your Water Heater

4.15.19

Signs That It’s Time To Replace Your Water Heater

Water heaters are an essential appliance of nearly every household. Could you imagine trying to live without hot showers, or cooking without hot water? For this reason, you should be always be keeping an eye on your water heater’s performance. If your tank is leaking, that means you’ll need to get a new one immediately. If you start to notice any of these other signs of wear and tear, it may be time to swing by Happys Appliances Outlet and pick up a new one!

10 Years or Older

Like most goods, the older water heaters get, the more they are going to depreciate. To avoid a major headache, you should try to replace your tank before it eventually does break down. On average, water heaters last around 8 to 12 years. If your tank is nearing a decade in age, you’re likely going to purchase a new one sooner rather than later.

Rust or Corrosion

Inspect your water heater top to bottom for rust and corrosion. Since most hot water tanks are made of steel, they will eventually rust. If you let too much rust build up, you could even end up noticing it in your water. Sadly, once your tank starts to rust and corrode, there is no way to repair it. So to avoid a potential catastrophe that ends with leaking and rusty water, you should replace your water heater as soon as you start to notice these signs. The most frequent areas where rust starts to build up are the temperature/pressure relief valve and the water inlet/outlet connections, so be sure to keep on an eye on those.

Sediment-Clogged Drain Valve

Over time, sediment builds up at the bottom of both gas and electric water heaters. If too much of this sediment gets into the drain valve, it can clog up and eventually break down the steel interior of the tank. To prevent this, be sure to flush your water heater at least once a year. This will help extend the life of your hot water tank and save you a big hassle down the road.

Cold Water

If your sink, shower etc. are only dispensing cold water, it does not necessarily mean that your water heater is broken. It could be the heating element or the electric thermostat that needs fixed or replaced. It could also be the “dip tube”, which is a pipe that runs from the cold water inlet to the bottom of the tank. It’s fairly easy to fix those problems. If none of these fixes do the trick, it is likely time to purchase a bigger water heater, as your house’s hot water requirements have likely increased.