Is It Time to Change Your Water Heater?

The availability of warm, running water is vital to everyday living– especially when it comes to the winter seasons. A lot of people overlook how much they actually use. From showers, baths, dish-washing, and laundry! When taken to count the number of household members, you can see how much the water heater gets used on a daily basis!

Sooner or later your water heater is going to need to be checked, or even replaced! So instead of waiting for tragedy to happen, it’s always best to know the signs that would indicate when it’s time to replace your water heater!

 

THE AGE

One of the biggest enemies is time. The majority of water heaters can last up to 8 and ten years, but it’s best not to prolong that.

With age, corrosion can take hold on a steel surface, slowly spread, and eat through steel in certain areas. Making it very prone to cracking, and in turn– leaks!

 

SEDIMENT BUILDUP

With age building on your water heater, as it is continually called upon to heat and reheat. Sediment can form at the bottom of the tank, which can overtime harden time and cause significant inefficiency. As it can consume more energy, and even accelerate the speed of aging.

 

MAKING STRANGE NOISES

This is a pretty obvious one. As your water heater ages, rumbling noises will start to get louder and louder as the tank heats up. This can be caused by sediment buildup and general aging.

 

DOES IT HAVE LEAKS?

As your water heater gets older… There’s an increased chance that you’ll see water appear on the floor around the tank.

When you see water, it generally means… leaks. Depending on where you have the water heater located inside your house, a leak could result in bad property damage.

 

ALTERNATE CAUSES FOR LEAKS

As explained above, leaks can be caused by age and corrosion. Or even the result of the expansion to the metal in the tank, as it goes through thousands of heating cycles over it’s lifetime.

Another thing to consider or check is the fittings and connections to the tank, as well as the temperature and pressure overflow pipe. If leaking is apparent in either of these areas, there could be something wrong with the fittings– in which case you’ll need to call a professional plumber like Sabtech to examine the issue. If the connections and fittings don’t show any trace of leaks- but there are still leaks, you can probably assume the tank itself is at fault.

 

NOT GETTING ANY HOT WATER

Without warm water, it’s just a tank full of water, not a water heater. It’s vital in the household, especially in the long winters… So the moment you’re not getting hot water anymore, it’s probably safe to assume you need it checked out.

The loss of heat in your water supply can be any of these possible issues: A broken element, a incorrectly adjusted thermostat, or the tank is just too small for your house size.

The first two problems are easy to deal with– and a professional can maintain and check. But if the tank is too small for your house, it’s likely you should look into getting a new heater.

 

CALLING IN THE PLUMBING PROFESSIONALS

Water is one of the most utilized resources in every household. In the majority of our daily usages. If you’ve opted for lower cost repairs or DIY that don’t last long, it’s definitely time for a replacement. At Sabtech Plumbing & Drainage we can help with every avenue your Water Heater needs. From maintenance to replacement! If you see signs that your water heater needs to be looked at, give us a call today with our 24/7 Emergency Services!

Plumbing Emergency? Available 24/7 Call 604-596-0405