5 Signs it’s Time to Replace Your Water Heater

What’s worse than hopping in the shower and realizing your water is as chilly a frosty temperature outside? Not much.  

As with most home appliances, your water heater will start to deteriorate and eventually break down over years of use. No one likes a cold shower or dirty dishes, so ideally, you should be replacing your water heater before it completely stops working. Should you wait too long, you'll be left with much bigger problems - aside from a frigid shower - like a leak, which leads to major water damage throughout your home.

Here are five clues that it's time to replace your water heater:

Rust and corrosion

Keep an eye on your tank and occasionally check for any rust or corrosion that might have built up over the years. There are two specific areas that you should keep an extra eye on: around the temperature and pressure relief valves, and the inlet and outlet connections.

Water discoloration around the heater

If you spot rusty water coming from the heater, this is usually a clear indication that the inside of your tank is rusting. This will eventually turn into a leak, so you should have your water heater replaced as soon as possible.

Pooling around the heater

Take a walk around the unit and look for any pooling. If you notice a little moisture, there's most likely a leak or fracture inside the tank. The reason your tank might be leaking is because as the metal heats, it expands and then cracks, forcing water out through the lesions.

Cold or lukewarm water

A tell tale sign of you being in need of a new water heater is if you crank the faucets up in your shower, but still experience cold or lukewarm water as opposed to your desired bathing temperature. In most cases this is a strong indication that your water heater might be beyond repair and must be replaced.

Questionable noises

If it sounds like there might be a thunderstorm in your basement or a stampede of safari animals, chances are something is going on with your water heater. As your tank ages, residue starts to build on the bottom. When the sediment heats up, it eventually hardens and will bang against the heater - that's where the loud rumbling noise is coming from. With the banging noises comes leaking, so it's best to replace your heater as soon as you start to hear unusual sounds.

To extend the lifetime of your water heater, it is strongly recommended that you perform regular maintenance checkups on your system. For more information, contact your local Roto-Rooter professional today.