5 Signs It’s Time to Replace your Water Heater

With winter just around the corner, it is high time to check whether the winter essentials are functioning perfectly or not! And the first thing that comes to the mind is definitely the water heater.

Isn’t it hard to imagine washing our faces or taking a bath in icy cold water during the winters?

Well, it is not just hard – it is also impossible to bath without hot water during the cold months. And, if you have been using the same water heater for 10 years now, chances are high that it needs to be replaced this season.

But what are the signs that you need a new water heater?

1. Inadequate Heating of Water

The first and most obvious sign is when you find that water does not get heated as much as it should. When your old water heater fails to produce adequately heated water, it might be due to a damaged heating element inside the device, or the thermostat is malfunctioning. In either case, the problems can be easily mended. But if it is a very old heating device, chances are that the parts might be outdated and unavailable in the market. Then you would have to buy a new water heater.

2. Water Leakage

As water heaters start ageing, the metal parts within the device expand and contract unequally, leading to cracks and gaps. And while heating water, the water escapes into these cracks and gradually seeps out of the heater. Often the fittings of the tank of the water heater or the connections might be faulty, thereby producing extra pressure which forces water out the tank.

Water leakage can be a very risky phenomenon leading to electrocution, so any signs of water accumulating around the heater must be promptly dealt with!

3. Rust Development

An old water heater tends to develop rust around its pipes and valves. If you see that the hot water contains traces of rust, then you can be sure that the heater has accumulated rust within it. In cases where the problem is quite deep, you are likely to find iron stains or rust stains along the walls of the buckets and tubs too. And when the inlet pipes and valve take on rust, and even after draining several buckets full of water, the same rusty water comes out, it is time to replace your old water heater.

4. How Old is the Water Heater?

Usually, water heaters are known to last for 8 to 10 years on an average. But there is no hard and fast rule to the ageing limit of these heating devices. While some may last longer, others might age too early and start malfunctioning. But as a standard, people generally recommend that once it crosses 10 years, it is always a good idea to change the water heater, before it throws up serious functioning disorders. This holds especially true in the case of gas heaters, which must be replaced after 6 years on an average.

5. Noise

Does your water heater emit peculiar noises off late? Over the years, as water heaters continuously work, it tends to accumulate water sediments within it. And with the buildup of sediments, the parts start to malfunction thereby producing unusual noises. And the more you use the heater, the noisier it becomes. Moreover, the sediment buildup also results in higher consumption of electricity. And if the noises persist even after cleaning and flushing the heater’s tank, then there is no way out but to replace the water heater.

Conclusion

So now that you know the tell-tale signs of an ageing water heater, there is no fear of landing up in trouble this winter. Simply buy a good water heater before winter comes in full swing and you are saved!