Does Your Water Heater Need to be Replaced?

If your tank is leaking it can cause the tank to rust out and the bottom may fall out, which can flood your home. The valves and lines can also leak but they can be replaced. Some of the common signs of a water heater problem that can mean real trouble are as follows:

• Water loses its heat, or the hot water doesn’t last long – if the heater is losing its ability to do the job it’s time for replacement, but first check the thermostat or heating element for malfunction, or raise the temperature setting on the thermostat.
• If you have a gas heater and you smell gas, or if the pilot light won’t stay on.
• Heater has a bad smell.
• Rust or other contaminants in the water, or a metallic taste. This means a sediment buildup in the tank, which will corrode the tank over time. You can flush the tank to remove the sediment but if this becomes a common condition the tank should be replaced.

Any of these situations can mean your water heater should be replaced, but you might consider replacement anyway if the water heater is over ten years old. Water heaters are designed to last from 8 to 12 years. If you have a high energy bill, consider that the water heater can be up to 25 percent of the cost, and older heaters are less efficient. To learn more about water heating repair in Escondido, visit our website.