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For many homes in Normal, IL, the readiness to run hot/warm water is vital for comfortable and conventional living. From baths, laundry, and cooking to showers, an average person uses hot water for various uses up to 20 times daily. Now take all that hot water use and multiply it with the number of your family members at your home.
Using this rationale, you can see that all demands placed on a water heater come into view. Therefore, if the water heater malfunctions, the activities at your home may come to a grinding halt. Eventually, you may see the signs that your water heater may need replacement services. The best way to go about it is by calling a plumber from Covenant Plumbing whenever your water heater starts malfunctioning.
Whether it is because of progressed age or strained usage, water heaters, including the best ones, have a limited lifespan. Although you may prolong the lifespan by hiring a water heater repair and maintenance technician, there comes a time when water heater replacement services are necessary. Whether to replace a thermostat, an anode rod, heating element, or a water tank, never do the water heater repair job yourself. Therefore, homeowners should know the signs that indicate it is time to call water heater replacement services. Below are the signs to watch out for.
Persistent Repairs
Persistent water heater repair signifies that you are unwilling to let go of that aging water heater. If you realize you are constantly calling a plumber for water heater repair, it might be time to replace it. The economies of water heater replacement are far much better than the constant repairs. An old water heater puts your family at risk. Persistent repairs are a sign of a considerable impending problem.
If you notice this, call a plumber for water heater replacement before the unit causes structural damage to your home or puts your family in harm. Consider replacing the tank-based water heater with a tankless water heater.
The Age of Your Water Heater
How many years old is your water heater? Knowing the age of a water heater is fundamental to its well-being. You can find how old the water heater is by looking for its serial number on the manufacturer’s sticker on the upper component of the water heater. The serial number consisted of the date when the water heater was manufactured. However, the date is not formatted in the usual way. For instance, a water heater may have a code like “F181052368”.
The first letter, F, represents the month. In the alphabet, F is the 6th letter, meaning that the water heater was manufactured in the sixth month, June. The subsequent two letters indicate the year; in this case, 18 indicates that the unit was manufactured in 2018. However, these codes may be different. Therefore, ensure you check the manufacturer’s website to know the manufacturer’s code and interpretation. Better yet, call a water heater replacement technician to interpret the code for you. They have dealt with many such appliances, meaning that they can easily recognize and interpret a code.
A tankless water heater has a lifespan of about 20 years, while a tan-based water heater can serve you for up to 10-15 years. However, by maintaining the water heater regularly, you can prolong the lifespan for some years or months. If you do the math and realize that the water heater is past its lifespan, it may be time to replace it. Old water heaters often spring leaks and other problems that make repairing them a costly undertaking. Enlist the help of an experienced plumber for water heater replacement.
Leaks
Of all the water heater issues, nothing can frustrate you more than leaks. Leaks are never a good sighting. Because of the nature of its operation, your water heater contracts and expands. The expansion and contraction are caused by the pressure within the tank and the heat. The water heater may develop slight fractures in the process, making the tank start to leak. Leaks can ruin your walls or floor, resulting in damp areas. Fungi like mold and mildew, pests, and vermin thrive in such damp and humid conditions. Therefore, a leak endangers the health of your family and yours. The tank will leak when it expands and stop when it contracts at lower temperatures. Leaks are also a danger to the structural integrity of your home’s foundation.
Before considering replacing the water heater, call a plumber to come and inspect the close plumbing fixtures to ascertain that the leaks are coming from the water heater. You may replace the water heater while the leaks are coming from the close piping or loose connections to the heater’s tank. If the leaks are recurrent, it is time to call Covenant Plumbing for water heater replacement.
Cooler Showers
Cool showers are perhaps the most apparent signs of a malfunctioning water heater. Call a plumber to inspect your water heater if your Normal, IL home gets lukewarm instead of hot water. They will check the burner, the heating element, or the entire tank to diagnose the problem and take appropriate measures to remedy it. If the issue is with the anode rod or the burner, they will replace the component with a new one.
Rusty Water
Rust is the one thing that can completely ruin your water tank. Nobody wants to see rust in their water. If the water at your home is colored, both hot and cold, the issue is likely inside the pipes. Besides being unhealthy, rusty water may stain your bathtub or sink. However, red-tinted or rusty water in your showers or hot water faucets indicates that your water heater may have corroded.
The inner part of your water tank may corrode, just like other metals, leaving your home with rusty water. Before you decide to buy another water heater to replace it with the existing one, call a plumber to inspect it further. The issue may be within the pipes leading into your water heater. The plumber will flush the tank, replace the anode rod and heating element, leaving your home with clear hot water. The plumber weighs the benefits between entire water heater replacement or component replacement and recommends the most beneficial action.
Rumbling and Noises
Noises like banging and rumbling from the water heater indicate an accumulation of sediments at the bottom of its tank. The convection currents within the tank cause the noises. The banging sound results from the deposits colliding with the walls of the water heater and may cause the explosion of the unit.
Call a plumber to inspect the water heater and remove the sediments if you hear such noises. Otherwise, you may incur high energy and water bills if the sediments crack the tank.
Is It Time For Water Heater Replacement?
Does your water heater show either of the above signs? Contact a plumber to inspect it further. A water heater is a costly appliance, and replacing it because it is leaking without inspecting it further may harm your financial wellbeing. If the issue is with a single component, our skilled plumbers will replace the part, saving you money on replacements. However, some damages require an entire water heater replacement, and to the residents of Normal, IL, Covenant Plumbing can help. Call us today for water heater repair, replacement, and maintenance.
