Is it Time for a New Hot Water Heater?

There are several signs that it’s time to replace your hot water heater, and luckily most of them are obvious.  When you think it’s time, it’s smart to call a licensed plumber to do the job correctly and suggest what type of new hot water heater you should purchase.

The most common sign that it’s time for a new hot water heater is the obvious lack of hot water.  You will know there is a problem when you are the first one in the morning to use the shower and there isn’t any hot water.  Another common problem is the hot water heater leaking.  A small leak is common when a hot water heater ages and it will leak out the hot water it has stored in the tank, giving you less hot water than normal.  So that hot shower in the morning may seem great at first, but you better hurry up because you only have 5 minutes instead of 20 minutes.  Another common problem to look out for is discolored water.  The water can be rusty or contain sediments.  This means that the elements inside the tank are going bad.  There are cases when separate elements in the hot water heater, such as the heating element, can be replaced without replacing the entire hot water heater.  The hot water heater can also become loud and noisy as it ages and this is a good sign that it’s going to need to be replaced soon.

Hot water heaters can last up 20 years and usually have a good warranty when you purchase them.  Sometimes your hot water heater may be working fine, but your growing family is using more and more hot water on a daily basis and you need to upgrade to a larger hot water heater to meet your daily needs.  Call a licensed plumber when it’s time to replace your hot water heater and feel confident that it will be done right the first time.