It would be nice if you could purchase a water heater once and then never have to worry about it again. It would work perfectly for the rest of the time you owned your house. This isn’t the case, but many homeowners treat their water heater as if it were immortal and let an old one linger long past the point where it should’ve gotten replaced.
We want to help you know when it’s best to leave aside continuing repairs on your home’s water heater and instead invest in a replacement. When it comes to water heaters in Plattsburgh, NY, we’re the experts you can trust for honest advice and great service.
Sign 1: The hot water volume has dropped
One of the major warnings of a water heater that is coming to the end of its useful service life is when it can no longer deliver the volume of hot water you expect from it. If people in your household start to complain about lukewarm showers in the morning when this was never an issue before, you’re getting a signal from the water heater that it’s winding down.
Sign 2: Heating costs have risen steeply
Your home’s heating system works hard during the winter to keep your family comfortable—but the water heater uses even more energy because of how often it runs. A steep rise in your heating bills can point toward your HVAC system, but it’s also likely the water heater is draining too much power. If this problem can’t be fixed, it’s better to start with a new, more energy-efficient water heater.
Sign 3: The water heater is corroding
Corrosion is one of the top enemies of water heaters. Fortunately, they’re designed to resist corrosion for years. With age, however, the water heater’s defenses break down and corrosion can start to eat away at it. Seeing corrosion on the tank of a water heater usually means that it needs to be replaced.
Sign 4: Reddish discoloration in the hot water
This is an extension of the previous sign because it’s one of the ways you can tell if there’s extensive corrosion within the tank. When you notice a rusty discoloration in the water from your hot water taps (and only the hot water taps), it probably means that the water heater tank has rusted through entirely.
Sign 5: Extensive leaking
A single leak from a water heater is a repair issue that needs to be taken care of immediately. A water heater that has multiple leaks or seems to spring new leaks regularly is an issue that probably calls for replacing the water heater.
Sign 6: Age
Finally, you can use the age of the water heater as a measuring stick for a replacement. Modern water heaters are more efficient than older models but tend not to last as long. The average lifespan of a modern water heater is from 12 to 15 years. If your water heater is older than this, it’s a good idea to call our technicians to look the system over and give you a professional opinion about whether to have it replaced.
Red Rock Mechanical, LLC serves Northwest Vermont and Northeast New York. Call us for 24-hour emergency service.
