Here’s How to Know if it’s Time for a New Water Heater
A water heater is one appliance that’s often taken for granted until it fails suddenly and leaves a homeowner without any hot water, or worse, significant property damage. Thankfully, learning to recognize the telltale signs that the appliance is going bad can let you prevent this type of disaster. By paying attention to the following symptoms, you’ll have an opportunity to get a new water heater installed before a failure occurs.
Rust and Corrosion
The serious first sign of deterioration you’re likely to see is corrosion on the outside of the tank, or around the water supply fittings, drain valve or temperature and pressure relief (T&P) valve. If the inside of the tank is rusting out, you’ll also have brown- or orange-tinged water coming from the faucets.
Water Leaks
If it’s badly corroded, your water heater can start to develop minor leaks around the tank seams, or the valves and fittings. If you see small puddles of water at the base of the tank, it’s wise to have a plumber install a new heater before it fails and you’re facing the additional expense of repairing water damage.
Cooler Water
A gradual drop in the temperature of the hot water coming from the faucets is a clear warning that a hardened layer of sediment has coated the burner or elements inside your water heater. The build up is interfering with the heater’s ability to reach the thermostat’s temperature setting, and the added strain this put on the appliance can cause a premature failure.
Old Age
Depending on whether it’s electric or gas-fired, a water heater can provide 6 to 10 years of reliable service. Other factors that affect your water heater’s lifespan are its workload, how well you maintain it, and the hardness of your water. Since most water heater issues are age-related, the easiest way to avoid an inconvenient failure is to replace the appliance as soon as they begin to develop.
If you need expert advice about whether it’s time to have a new water heater installed in your Orlando area home, contact us today at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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