Our water heater is one of those appliances that we take for granted. Year after year, they sit in the corner of our garage providing hot water. It isn’t until something goes wrong that we take notice. Most people with old water heaters don’t just replace them because they’re old. We usually wait until the water heater has seen its final day, then we replace it with a new one. We understand, “If it’s not broke, why fix it?”
Some Signs Your Water Heater Needs Replacing Or Repairing
Consider the age of your water heater when you are deciding to repair it or replace it. Most storage-tank water heaters will last 10 to 12 years. Tankless water heaters have a life expectancy of 20 years or more. But in both cases, you’ll need to consider the maintenance completed.
Rusty hot water can be a sign that your water heater tank is rusting from the inside. Rust in your water heater usually means your anode rod is no longer working. Its purpose is to protect the metal lining from corrosion. It does this through a process called electrolysis. The rod is made of magnesium or aluminum and attracts ions that normally cause rust to the walls of your storage tank. The anode rod will eventually wear out, so homeowners should replace them as part of regular maintenance.
A rumbling sound in the water heater is another common problem that could occur in your heater. The rumbling sound comes from sediment built up in the tank, and boiling water becomes confined within the sediment producing the rumbling noise. When the water heater DOES NOT receive annual maintenance, sediment will build up, jeopardizing the tank’s efficiency.
Leaking tank– If your tank is leaking, it could be a faulty temperature-pressure relief valve, also known as a T&P valve. If the leak is coming from the storage tank, it is time to replace your water heater.
My Broken Water Heater – Is It Worth The Cost Of Repair?
Age is number one. If your heater is too old, you may not want to invest in it. With that said, if your water heater is less than ten years old and has seen proper maintenance, it may be worth a small investment to have it repaired. Below are some common fixes for a water heater.
- Heating elements can fail but are easy to replace. Heating elements that exist in electric water heaters can fail, but you can easily replace them. They are responsible for heating your water. The electrical energy passes through the heating element, which heats the water. They could fail well before your heater needs replacing.
- The pilot light goes out. This too is an easy fix. You don’t have to be a do-it-yourselfer to start your own pilot light. You can see how to start your pilot by following the instructions on the inside door of your water heater.
- Bad thermocouple. Unless you’re very handy, this is best left to your plumbing contractor. The thermocouple is a safety device that shuts off the gas if the pilot goes out. A bad thermocouple will not allow you to relight your pilot. Without it, your heater cannot generate hot water.
- The pressure relief valves can go wrong, but they are simple to replace by your plumbing professional. The purpose of your T&P valve is to relieve built-up water pressure in the storage tank. If the relief valve is working as intended, water will be draining to reduce the pressure. However, the T&P valve will also drain if your T&P valve is faulty and needs replacing. In the case of a faulty T&P valve, it’s usually a broken seal; this is another common fix.
- Replacing the drain valve may be as simple as tightening the valve, or in some cases, it may need replacing. The drain valve is used to drain your tank for maintenance to remove the sediment. If your drain valve is leaking, have the problem diagnosed promptly.
Water Heater Technology Has Seen Great Advancements
Whether you repair your water heater or replace it, there is still more to know—water heater technology has seen great advancements over the last ten years. Heater manufactured today is as much as 30% more energy-efficient than heaters produced ten years ago. Additionally, they don’t require as much maintenance. Whatever your situation, Big B’s Plumbing will always diagnose the problem and give the customer all options available. We also know that a water heater can break down when you least expect it. So we provide one-year financing with 0% interest, the same as cash. We also have 5-year financing starting as low as 6.99%. We’re an accredited A+ rated plumbing company with the BBB with hundreds of 5-star reviews.
