Water heaters look sturdy, and they’re built to withstand years of use. But any appliance wears down with enough time, and water heaters have the extra burden of storing water, which can lead to corrosion. Your current water heater in Bensalem, PA won’t last you forever. You want to avoid getting trapped with a busted water heater and an emergency replacement. The best way to do that is to know the signs a water heater is getting close to the end of its service life.
We handle water heater installations and replacements, and we can tell you the most important warnings signs to look for that it’s time to call us to get a new water heater.
Corrosion
Corrosion, and rust specifically, are the ultimate enemies of water heaters. Water heaters have many design features to help them resist rust for years, such as glass-lined tanks, airtight construction, and a sacrificial anode rod that draws corrosion to it so the rest of the system won’t corrode. Corrosion can finally take hold if the system is old enough. Corrosion on the tank almost always means the water heater must be replaced.
Discolored hot water
When you turn on the hot water taps in your house, do you see a rusty discoloration? Is this same discoloration appearing in clothes that have gone through the wash? This means the water heater’s tank interior has already rusted through and you need to have a new water heater ASAP.
Extensive leaking
A water heater should only leak water through the pressure relief valve, and that’s only a few drops. Any other leaking points toward a repair problem. If leaking becomes a common problem, then the water heater is likely ready to retire.
Out of control energy bills
The water heater works around the year in your house and consumes more power than almost any other device. When a water heater begins to die, it will become costly to run, and you’ll see a significant rise in your energy bills. If repairs and maintenance don’t turn this around, a new water heater will.
Drop in hot water volume
This is one of the most common signs of a water heater that’s on the way out: your household isn’t getting as much hot water as it used to, often leaving people with lukewarm or cold showers. We recommend you have water heater experts come to look at the system and see if it’s failing.
The water heater’s age
Finally, the age of the water heater is a good measurement for when you can expect to replace it. Most water heaters today last from 15 to 20 years. We don’t recommend trying to push a water heater much farther past 20 years. If the warning signs we’ve listed above appear in a water heater that’s more than 15 years, the trouble is even more urgent—don’t delay with schedule service with professionals to see if it’s time to replace the system.
Dowd Mechanical Heating & Air Conditioning: A Degree Above the Rest. Contact us to schedule water heater service in Bucks & Montgomery Counties, Philadelphia, & The Surrounding Areas.
