Posted November 7, 2025
Whereas tank-type water heaters are likely to final between 8 and 12 years, tankless water heaters can thrive for over 20. However as soon as they attain these ranges, they have a tendency to say no shortly. As such, it’s essential to keep watch over yours and decide whether or not it has something left to offer.
What kind of issues must you be keeping track of? There are quite a few indicators to look out for, and we’re going to cowl them intimately on this article. Right here’s find out how to inform whether or not it is best to change your electrical water heater.
Frequent Indicators of a Unhealthy Electrical Water Heater
On the subject of recognizing a nasty water heater, there are a number of indicators you possibly can look out for. Probably the most distinguished of those indicators are as follows.
Your Water Heater Is Making Bizarre Noises
By and huge, water heaters function silently. You would possibly hear a faint rumble come from them at occasions however you possibly can, roughly, ignore it. Because of this, for those who hear bizarre noises coming out of your water heater, you’ll doubtless know there’s one thing unsuitable.
Loud banging and rumbling sounds are often brought on by sediment buildup within the water heater. Due to this fact, once you hear these noises, you’ll have to flush your water heater. This alone is mostly adequate to stave off these noises (although there are uncommon instances the place it might name for a full water heater substitute).
Ticking sounds sometimes point out a change in water strain. These sounds will be eradicated just by altering the water heater’s strain valve. Then there are screeching noises. This sometimes comes about on account of a unfastened valve. If that is so, you’ll want to herald knowledgeable plumber to repair the affected valve for you.
In sure conditions, any certainly one of these sounds may immediate a full water heater substitute. That is significantly true in instances the place the water heater is outdated.
Your Water Heater Is Over 12 Years of Age
One other signal that you just would possibly want to switch your water heater is that it’s over 12 years of age. Even when your water heater continues to be getting the job carried out, it’s not going to be wherever close to as environment friendly as a contemporary water heater. Due to this, it’s going to price you an incredible deal extra in vitality prices.
In case your water heater is over 12 years of age and breaks down no less than every year, there’s little question about it: a substitute is required. In case you proceed to make repairs as an alternative of creating a substitute, you’re going to finish up spending more cash in the long term.
Rusty Water is Coming Out of Your Taps
In some unspecified time in the future, you would possibly discover brown water popping out of your taps. Typically, this water is brown as a result of it incorporates rust. What’s inflicting rust to be in your water? In all chance, the within of your water heater. After a while, the inside of the water heater will corrode, inflicting rust to flake off into the water because it passes by way of.
Whereas this rust isn’t harmful to devour, it doesn’t precisely lend to good water high quality, both. Plus, who needs to drink brown water? Sadly, as soon as this occurs, there’s nothing you are able to do to reverse the issue. In different phrases, there are not any repairs that may resolve the difficulty. The one possibility is to switch the water heater fully.
Your native plumber might help you make the substitute. They’re certain to have a big number of electrical water heaters so that you can select from.
You Don’t Get as A lot Scorching Water as You As soon as Did
One other signal that you should change your sizzling water heater is that you just’re not getting as a lot sizzling water as you as soon as did. For example, let’s say that your loved ones used to have the ability to take three sizzling showers in a row. Now, you’re solely capable of handle two. Clearly, your water heater isn’t doing its job in addition to it as soon as did.
Quite a few points may result in this downside. In some instances, it’s brought on by extra sediment buildup. In that case, you would fight the issue by merely flushing the sediment.
In different instances, it occurs on account of a failing motor. The motor has taken on an excessive amount of put on and tear and might now not energy the water heater as persistently because it as soon as did. If that is the difficulty, it would doubtless be finest happy with a full water heater substitute.
Water is Leaking from Your Water Heater
Maybe the largest indication that you just want a brand new water heater is that water is leaking from it. Water can leak from a water heater for a number of causes. The most typical cause for that is that fractures have developed within the heater’s water tank. This happens over time on account of pure enlargement and contraction. It usually spells the top of the water heater fully, thus necessitating a substitute.
Different causes for water heater leaks embody unfastened gaskets, a broken drain valve, and unfastened water hose attachments. If these are the reason for the leak, a small restore will usually get the job carried out.
Regardless, in case your water heater is leaking, you’re strongly suggested to make the most of the companies of an emergency plumber. It’s essential to nip this within the bud as quickly as attainable. Calling an emergency plumber is the one means to make sure that this occurs.
Your Water Heater Is Corroded
Over time, your water heater will corrode. This can current itself within the type of rust. A lot of this rust will present up on the within of the water heater, and so gained’t be observed.
Nevertheless, you must also be capable of discover some rusting on the outside of the water heater as nicely. This most regularly reveals up subsequent to hose connections and valves. The second you begin to discover this rusting, it is best to take into consideration making a substitute.
Keep in mind: if it’s rusted on the skin, it needs to be rusted on the within as nicely. And if it’s rusted on the within, there’s virtually actually rust flaking off into your water.
You’re Not Getting Any Scorching Water at All
This one most likely goes with out saying: for those who’re not getting any sizzling water, your water heater would possibly must be changed. There’s clearly one thing unsuitable with it that’s inflicting this downside to look.
If it’s actually not heating any water in any respect, it’s most likely as a result of its motor has died. Sure, you would theoretically change the motor. Nevertheless, the price to take action is substantial. As such, a full water heater substitute is really useful as an alternative.
In any case, for those who’ve run out of sizzling water, name up your native HVAC substitute specialist. They’ll check out your water heater, diagnose it, after which make any repairs or replacements that is perhaps wanted.
You’ve Having to Restore Your Water Heater Continuously
One final signal that you just want a brand new water heater is that it’s important to restore your present one regularly. In case you’re having to restore your water heater no less than as soon as yearly, there’s little question: it’s previous its prime.
At this level, you’re spending extra on restore prices than you’ll spend on simply getting a brand new water heater altogether. In essence, you’re throwing cash away, and for much less comfort as nicely. A brand new water heater is not going to solely get the job carried out with out breaking down, however it would additionally accomplish that extra effectively than your current water heater. In different phrases, there’s little draw back to creating the change.
Water Heater Upkeep Ideas
If you wish to get absolutely the most out of your water heater, you should keep it recurrently. Constant upkeep is not going to solely optimize its efficiency however its lifespan as nicely. An important parts of water heater upkeep embody:
Flush It
Typically talking, it is best to flush your water heater each six months. That is carried out to rid the water heater of sediment. In case you don’t flush your water heater, its efficiency will undergo and it’ll lose years of its life.
Thankfully, flushing a water heater is straightforward. You merely connect a hose to the drain valve on the backside of the heater after which let the water move right into a bucket. As soon as the entire water has emptied, fill the water heater with chilly water and permit it to empty once more, doing so till the entire sediment has been vanquished.
Insulate the Heater’s Pipes
One other key to water heater upkeep is to insulate the heater’s pipes. In doing so, you stop the exterior chilly from having a powerful impact on the water heater’s performance. As such, the water heater can warmth water as simply as attainable with as little effort as attainable.
When the water heater is utilizing little effort, it’s taking up little put on and tear. And when it takes on little put on and tear, it has the very best likelihood attainable of a protracted and optimally operational lifespan. It’s best to insulate your water heater’s pipes with 3/8-inch insulative foam. Make sure you safe it snugly with plumbers’ tape.
Insulate the Heater
Not solely must you insulate the heater’s pipes however the heater itself as nicely. This has the identical impact (ie. it minimizes the water heater’s workload and thus takes stress off of it over time). HVAC service corporations insulate water heaters recurrently and might do the identical on your water heater as nicely.
Flip the Temperature Down
The warmer your water is, the more durable your water heater has to work. As such, in order for you your water heater to final so long as attainable, it is best to flip its temperature down as a lot as attainable whereas nonetheless getting the temperature of water you need.
To show down your water heater’s temperature, merely alter the thermostat on its facet. The default setting for a water heater is 140 levels Fahrenheit. Observe, although, that you could simply get away with 120 levels Fahrenheit.
Guarantee That the Anode Rod Is in Good Form
An anode rod is a steel bar that’s designed to draw sediment and corrosion. In doing so, it prevents the issues round it from attracting these entities as an alternative.
Water heaters use anode rods to maintain their interiors secure from corrosion and sediment buildup. Over time, these rods turn into lined with sediment. In some unspecified time in the future, they turn into lined to the extent that they will now not carry out their perform.
Ought to this happen, the inside of the water tank will begin to tackle the sediment as an alternative. If allowed to go on for an prolonged time period, this might drastically cut back the water heater’s lifespan. Due to this fact, each six months or so, you should test the anode rod to make sure that it’s not but lined in sediment. If the rod measures lower than 1/2 an inch thick, it’s time to make a substitute.
Is Your Electrical Water Heater on Its Final Leg?
What do you suppose? Is your electrical water heater on the finish of its proverbial rope? No matter the kind of water heater that you just’re seeking to set up, our group of expert and skilled plumbers can help you.
Contact us at present to schedule an appointment!
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