Many homeowners dont pay attention to their hot water heater, let alone know where to find it until they go to take a shower and the water is ice cold despite the knob being turned all the way to the left. Then, suddenly, a modern convenience that many of us take for granted on a day-to-day basis can ruin your whole day. Remember that in order to have hot water readily available, you first need to take care of and maintain your hot water heater. Since hot water doesn’t last forever and your water heater usually shows signs when it’s about to give out, our professionals at Five Star Dayton Plumbing wanted to cover the tell-all signs that it may be time to invest in a new water heater.
How Old Is Your Water Heater?
Whether you recently bought your home or if you purchased it when it was fresh on the market, it is essential to know exactly how old your water heater is. This is because the age of a water heater is the most significant factor when determining a water heater’s overall performance. Despite the major debate on how long a water heater should last, most experts agree that the average age for a water heater is between 8 to 12 years. However, this lifespan depends on many different factors, such as your water quality, how often you use hot water, and the mineral and chlorine levels found in your residential water supply. On top of that, it also depends on what type of water heater you have, including electric, solar, on-demand, conventional, storage tank, gas, tankless systems for heating, and high-efficiency.
Suppose you don’t know the actual age of your water heater, well don’t worry. In this case, most water heaters have a manufacturer’s date or a serial number located on the tank. While this won’t tell you when the water heater was installed; however, it will give you a rough estimate on how long your particular kind of water heater has been on the market, which you can use to determine its age. Nonetheless, your water heater will also give you signals that it’s time to consider investing in a new water heater.
Is Discolored Water Coming Out of Your Sink or Faucet?
Over time rust, sediments, and other impurities tend to build up at the bottom of your hot water tank. Because of this, the build-up your water heater creates can become a prominent factor in the unit’s overall lifespan, as well as the quality of the water coming out of it. While you can’t take off the water heater’s top to look inside, you can see discolored water coming out of your faucets or showerheads. The discolored water is most likely to be brown because of the rust and other sediments accumulated at the bottom of the tank. If you begin to notice discolored water coming out of your sinks or faucet, then this means it’s time to have your water heater flushed. However, even though this can be a DIY project, our knowledgeable and certified professional plumbers strongly advise against it. If done incorrectly, flushing can cause the build-up to create holes in your water tank, thus leaving you with a bigger mess than you started with. On the other hand, leaving this problem untreated will inevitably lead to a water heater breakdown that will need to be repaired or replaced. So, save yourself time and a headache and call the experts first!
Are There Unsettling Sounds Coming From the Tank?
Keep in mind that as sediment in your water tank begins to build up, it can harden over time. So, because the water in your hot water tank is heated and reheated daily, it can result in bangs, clangs, and rumbling sounds coming from the water heater. If you hear any of these unsettling noises coming from your hot water tank, this is its way of alerting the homeowners that too much sediment has built up in the tank over time, and you need to invest in a new water heater.
When Should I Consult a Professional?
As a homeowner, you should call a professional if any of the above signs have been brought to your attention. However, the good news is that upgrading your old thermostat to a more modern one can result in serious savings on your water bills since they are now designed to be more energy-efficient. In fact, some homeowners have seen a saving of an average of $700. Five Star Dayton Plumbing are experts in their field and will give an honest recommendation for the best course of action to save you time, effort, and, most importantly, money.
Want to speak with one of our plumbing experts?
Call Five Star Dayton Plumbing today at (937) 230-6506, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
