Is It Time to Replace Your Tank Water Heater?

There are a number of options today when it comes to selecting appliances for your home, including the tankless water heater. Many homeowners, however, still utilize the very reliable tank water heater to warm the water in their home. These systems do their jobs quietly, and are often tucked away in little-used parts of the home for space-saving benefits.

Unfortunately, though, being out of sight means that tank water heater problems can creep in relatively unnoticed. If your water heater is more than 10 to 15 years old, then these problems can quickly escalate to a full breakdown or emergency. When this happens, you’ll likely need a replacement, or at the very least prompt West Jordan, UT water heater services.

Preventing Water Heater Trouble

Before we get to the signs that a tank water heater needs replacement, we’d like to cover some tips on how you can avoid water heater problems to begin with. Basically, it boils down to maintenance. Our qualified professional plumbers will check your system once a year. During this appointment, we’ll tighten loose bolts or fittings, clean burners, flush the tank itself, and replace the anode rod if needed (this is the rod that absorbs rust which would otherwise impact the actual tank).

Preventive maintenance helps to extend the life of your tank water heater, and lets our plumbers check for signs of more serious trouble that may come down the line. This gives you the chance to plan for repairs properly, before the damage becomes catastrophic.

Looking for Signs

Regardless of whether or not you stay on top of water heater maintenance, it’s going to need replacing eventually. Typically, any sign of trouble should alert you that it’s time to call a professional plumber. But here’s what to look for, specifically:

  • Rust or Black Colored Water: First, check to see if this is only occurring when you use your hot water taps, or if you see it regardless of whether your hot or cold water is on. If it’s happening with your cold water, this means the problem is likely within your actual plumbing system, versus your water heater. But if it’s coming from the hot water taps only, then this means rust has eaten through the anode rode and is impacting the tank now.
  • No Hot Water: This is, of course, a pretty apparent sign that something is amiss with your water heater! It may still be warm, but not as hot as you need it to be. While this could be the sign of a component failure or electrical problem, in an aging system it’s often an indication that it’s time for a system replacement.
  • Hot Water Running Out: If your hot water is running out too quickly when it never has before, this is the sign of a problem.
  • Odd Noises: Listen for gurgling or dripping noises. These are not normal and may be indicative of leaks or some other problem with your tank water heater system.
  • Puddles around the Tank: Breaches in your water heater tank can sometimes re-close when the water cools down. Puddles, however, will remain.
  • Increased Water or Energy Bills: If you haven’t been using the water in your home any more often than normal, then this could be a sign that you have a leak, but could also be an indication that your water heater is working harder than it used to in order to do its job.
Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Threads
Scroll to Top