Your water heater always runs in the background. It fills your appliances with hot water, keeps your running showers hot, and is so efficient you forget it exists. Then it stops working or starts misbehaving. You can troubleshoot, but if your heater problems are too troublesome, you’ll need to schedule water heater repair & replacement.
Here are three other times you should consider installing a water heater:
1. Your water heater is over 10 years old
Most tankless water heaters last up to 20 years, while tank water heaters last between 10 and 15 years. Some last beyond that, but 15 years is when you definitely should consider replacement before the heater completely breaks down or deteriorates.
Deterioration shows when hot water turns a rusty shade. If only your cold water is rusty, your water heater could be fine, but you still have a plumbing problem. Contact a residential plumber to investigate. Deterioration also shows when your water heater leaks. While some leaks can be sealed, others can’t. Check with your plumber to learn if repair is possible.
2. Your water heater makes noise
If your tank makes clanging, knocking, or whining noises, it’s a sign that sediment has built up. Sediment forms over time and hardens at the bottom of your tank. If you haven’t flushed your tank within the last year, the sediment likely built up between now and the last flush.
You can flush the heater now by emptying the tank, filling the tank halfway with cold water, then flushing the water through the drain valve. Fill the tank and flush it until all the sediment is gone. If the noise continues, the sediment might be too hardened to flush out.
3. Your hot water doesn’t last as long
One of the surest signs that you need a water heater is when it stops working. Your hot showers become cold in the middle of a wash, your hot water tap is lukewarm or cold, and your household has to wait in between showers.
If you’ve had your tank water heater for upward of 8 years, it’s likely at the end of its occupational lifespan. However, if your water heater is newer, it might only need its heating element fixed. For tankless water heaters, there’s a possibility that the heater itself is fine, but your household is using too much hot water at once. In that case, you might consider adding an additional heater unit.
Water Heater Repair & Replacement in the Bay Area
Ehret Co. Plumbing & Heating services all water heater types, including tankless water heaters. We can troubleshoot your water heater and guide you through the best solution. Contact us through our online contact form or call us at 510-528-4292 for quick, safe, and quality water heater repair & replacement services.
What to Look For in a Professional Plumber
