3 Signs Your Water Heater May Be Ready For Replacement

How Is Your Hot Water Heater Working?
Learn how to tell when it’s ready for replacement!

For most homeowners, their water heater (otherwise known as a “hot water tank or heater”) is usually out-of-sight and out-of-mind.  Until you have a problem that is!  Water heaters were never engineered to offer a lifetime of operation.  In fact, most water heaters from a good quality manufacturer will last approximately 7-10 years.  The older the water heater is, the more prone it will be for failure.  The problem when a water heater fails though is it can cause damage to your home.

Do You Know How Old Your Water Heater Is?

If you built the home or installed the heater when it was new, then you might know the answer right away.  If you purchased the home from a previous owner and you don’t have any history on when the water heater was last serviced or replaced then you can find out it’s age by locating the serial number on the manufacturers sticker and contacting them.  You can also decipher the serial number yourself if you know how to read the serial numbers.

Your serial number might look like “D079467322”  The first letter (in this case “D”) is the 4th letter in the alphabet and represents the 4th month in a Calendar year.  In this case March.  The next two numbers indicate the year.  In this case it’s “07”, the water heater was made in March, 2007.  Most manufacturers are following a similar format for their date of manufacture as well.

If your water heater is pushing 10 years old then it might be time to consider a replacement, especially if it’s located in an area of your home that could be damaged should it begin to leak.

Do You Have Rusty Colored Hot Water?

A sure sign of a water heater that is presenting signs of failure would be rusty colored water coming from the “hot” side of your taps in the kitchen or bathroom.  If the rusty colored water is only coming out of the hot side, it means your tank is corroding on the inside and it might begin to leak soon.  Don’t panic yet though!  There are many older homes with galvanized piping that can cause a rusty color to your water as well.  

To be sure, any homeowner can complete this simple test.  Take a five gallon bucket or two and fill it with hot water from one of your taps.  Repeat the process a few times and if the water clears up, it’s likely not the water heater.  If the rusty color is still there by the 3rd or 4th bucket then it’s likely your water heater is at fault and it’s time to consider replacing it.

Water Around The Base Of Your Water Heater

If you already notice water or moisture around the base of your water heater then you might be too late!  Check all the of the fittings and piping running into your water first to make sure they aren’t the source of your problem.  If all your connections are dry, then it’s time to replace the water heater.

What Should You Replace Your Water Heater With?

If you’re replacing a water heater that is more than 10 years old, efficiency has improved drastically.  A newer, more modern water heater will save you money on your energy bills.  If you have natural gas in your area another popular option is to switch to a tankless hot water heating system.  This eliminates the need to store a large tank of hot water, as the gas-fired systems heat the water as you need it.

The Plumbers Connect Replaces Hot Water Tanks Throughout The Pomona Valley

The Plumbers Connection specializes in all aspects of residential plumbing systems including the repair and replacement of hot water heating systems.

If you need help with your hot water heater, either for inspection, repair or replacement then give us a call (909) 260-4376 or fill out our contact form or initiate an online chat and we’ll get right back to you.