Your water heater is a sturdy appliance designed to last your home and family for a long time. But it will not last forever, even when you take excellent care of it. Eventually, your water heater will need to be replaced.
The good news is, you can pay attention to signs that it’s time for a new water heater installation in Issaquah, WA, and stay ahead of an emergency breakdown. Keep reading to learn more about early signs that it may be time to replace your water heater. Then, give our team a call to help with any of your water heater needs.
Water Leaks
It’s easy to think that leaks are not a huge deal since your water heater is full of water. But leaks can mean major problems for your water heater, even leading to replacing it much earlier than usual. The reason for this is that water leaks can let oxygen into the tank, which speeds up corrosion. Once rust begins developing on the inside of your water tank, it cannot be repaired.
It will continue spreading until your water tank has holes in it. You can stay ahead of a breakdown by paying attention to leaks and getting them fixed as soon as you noticed them. Sometimes leaks come from the valves and connections that need to be replaced or tightened. But if you ever notice a leak coming directly from the water tank itself, that’s a big red flag that corrosion has already spread.
Lack of Heat
Your water heater can lose heating ability so slowly that you don’t notice it at first. It’s not until your water is significantly cooler that you’ll begin to notice the lack of heat. At first you may just turn the hot water knob on a little bit more in an attempt to get hotter water.
But if you’re having to do this, that is an early sign that something is wrong with your water heater. Sometimes hard water leads to mineral buildup that blocks your heating elements. We can flush out your water heater and get it working again like new. But other times your water heater is simply reaching the end of its life.
Water Discoloration
Noticing water that has a rusty tinge to it is also a sign that something is wrong with your water tank. Of course if the hot and cold water both have problems, then the issue was likely deeper within your plumbing system. But if it’s only hot water affected by discoloration, then it’s more likely that your water heater is to blame.
Water Heater Age
Your water heater can last for upwards of 20 years or longer with proper care. If you moved into your home when the water tank was already in place, you may not know exactly how old it is. You can find a serial number on the outside of the tank and do a search online with the serial number and brand name to get an idea of how old your water heater is. The closer to 20 years, the more likely it is that you will need to replace your water heater in the near future.
WSB HVAC: Connecting you to comfort. Schedule an appointment today for water heater repair and replacement.