5 Signs That You Need to Replace Your Hot Water Heater

A water heater is among the most vital appliances in a home. From cleaning and hot showers to heating water for washing machines and dishwashers, hot water remains an everyday necessity for families.

Unfortunately for some people, a water heater is the last thing they think about. However, when signs of problems pop up, it becomes important to contact an expert to replace your hot water cylinder. Some of these signs may include:

1. Frequent Repairs

If your system has reached mid-life and gets frequent repairs, this could be a sign that you need to replace it. Premature wear is often caused by a few factors, like lack of preventive maintenance or heavy household use. In such cases, it will be more worthwhile to consider replacing the system than repairing it.

2. Rusty Water

Metal plus water eventually results in corrosion. This is true especially after sacrificial anode rods are exhausted. At this point, water will pick up the corrosion, resulting in rust.

If that happens early in the water heater’s life, you will need to enlist the services of a plumber. The plumber will add a new rod to the system. But in the heater’s life, it is easier and more cost-effective to replace the whole system.

3. Inadequate Heating

Naturally, water heaters with just one foot in the grave will start losing their functionality. If hot water no longer comes out or only gets hot for some time, then you will need to replace the system.

At times, the mechanisms and devices break or wear down, causing your system to stop heating as it should. In other cases, this might need a simple fix but in other situations, it could need replacement.

4. Unusual Noise

Loud and unusual noises from a water heater are often a sign of a problem. Thundering or banging sounds mean there is a serious issue. As such, an expert needs to investigate those suspicious noises.

Normally, the culprit is sediment. As a water heater ages, sediment accumulates at the bottom of the tank. This buildup is common for water heaters in some places because of hard water.

5. An Older System

Your water heater’s age and the quality of services the system provides determine whether you should hire an expert. In general, a quality heater lasts for 7-10 years but you will have to replace the system sooner if the whole household uses the fixture every day and doesn’t maintain it regularly.

However, just because your heater is still working even after ten years of use, you shouldn’t dismiss the idea of installing a new one. Using a system for more than ten years may result in major risks. So, replacing the ten-year-old system before it starts showing symptoms of damage will be wise.

The Take a way

Some issues in a water heater can be resolved by flushing sediment out of the system, replacing parts, and doing some skilled repairs. However, some issues need you to replace the system. Whichever the case, if you note either of these warning signs, enlist the services of an expert to solve the problem before the situation worsens.