Fix your faulty hot water heater today!

With a failing water heater, not only can you be caught without hot water but it is possible that major damage to your house can occur.

A failed hot water heater can pump up to 500 gallons of water per hour into your house while you’re at work. This is 2 1/2 times what you would put into a regular bath tub.

All that water leaking into your home while you are away can be catastrophic. Obviously we want to avoid any major water damage a failed hot water heater might cause.

Here are 6 signs that your hot water heater is in need of maintenance or replacement.

1 – Insufficient hot water

A lack of hot water is the most obvious sign that you have a failing water heater. You may have a problem if your hot water heater is not producing enough hot water or if your water pressure drops when you turn on your taps.

As water heats in the storage tank (via an electrical or gas source), mineral deposits begin to separate from the water and settle at the bottom. They continue to accumulate and create a barrier between water and the burner. This means that less heat is able to reach the water and showers become colder.

These signs are easy to ignore. Sediment build up can stress your hot water heater’s heating elements. It will eventually fail, causing leakage or even stopping the heater from operating altogether.

What you need to do…

Regular flushing your water heater by hiring a professional plumber can prolong its life.

2 – Strange noises

Another sign that your water heater may be failing is strange noises coming from the heater. A plumber should be called if your hot water heater makes strange noises like popping, creaking, or rumbling. Water heater noises can be caused by mineral buildup or hard water. Popping sounds can be caused by mineral deposits, while pockets of air within the sediment layer may cause rumbling.

What you need to do…

To remove buildup, flush the tank and allow a technician to examine the plumbing components. There may be a bigger problem with your heater overall if it is making loud noises after the flush.

A tank replacement will be the best option for water heaters making strange or unusual noises after they have been flushed.

3. Cloudy bad tasting water

A failing water heater may cause your water to become cloudy and/or have a metallic taste. When impurities and other deposits are freed from the hot water heater and get into the water supply, cloudy water can occur.

These deposits are usually accompanied by a taste of metal or a metallic odor. These sediments can also restrict the water supply and reduce the flow of water.

What you need to do…

You can fix the smell or color of your water by adding a water filter to your unit after it has been inspected.

4. Faulty or leaking pressure valve

A hot water heater’s pressure relief valve is an important safety device. Your water heater’s temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve, opens to relieve buildup and keeps temperature and pressure from rising too high. This prevents a leak, or worse, an explosion.

TPR valves can become clogged with rust and mineral deposits. Failure to repair a safety valve could cause severe damage. Your water tank may burst if your TPR valve fails. There have been reports of tanks exploding through homes’ floors, causing serious property damage or injury.

What you need to do…

Put a bucket under the TPR valve to test it. Then, raise the lever several times until the brass stem is lifted. The drainpipe should be filled with hot water.

Call a plumber immediately if you don’t see any water flowing through the pipe, or if there is only a drip of water.

5. Water pooling

You may see water pooling beneath the tank. This could indicate that corrosion has caused cracks or fractures. You should immediately replace your water heater if you see any signs that indicate that there are leaks in the tank.

A leaking hot water heater could flood your whole home within hours, causing far more damage than the replacement cost.

What you need to do…

Turn off the water supply to your building or house at the shut-off valve if you notice a leak. Call a licensed plumber right away.

If the source of the leak is the TPR valve, this can be repaired or replaced.  This will save you the cost of replacing your entire tank. The water heater must be replaced if the leak is coming from the tank because of corrosion.

6. Old age

Residential hot water heaters typically last 6 to 13 years.

A replacement hot water heater is expensive, but the inconvenience and safety risk an old unit presents far outweigh those costs.

A quality water heater that is efficient and cost-effective can be installed for a fraction of the price that water damage will incur.