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Replacing your old water heater before it fails with an Energy Star model not only will save you money, but it will also let you avoid the inconvenience of running out of hot water. A broken storage tank water heater can cause you more grief than just failing to provide you with hot water. Because a common residential water heater can hold up to 50 gallons of water that’s under pressure, it also can cause significant water damage to your home if the tank fails. Learn to identify the signs associated with water heaters that signal a failure is imminent.
Cold water an obvious sign your water heater has failed is the lack of hot water. Hopefully, you do not have the pleasure of discovering this before (or, worse yet, during) a Monday morning shower.
Watercolor If you notice rust-colored hot water when you first turn on the faucet, it might be time to replace the unit. This can indicate that the steel tank inside of the appliance is starting to corrode. If it fails, not only will the 50 or so gallons it holds flood areas inside your home, but it also will continue spewing water until the shutoff valve on the pipe supplying the appliance is turned off.
Temperature If you notice a reduction in your hot water temperature, or it runs out sooner than normal, your water heater is on its way to failure. This can happen when one of the appliance’s heating elements has failed.
Age The average life of a water heater is between 8 and 15 years. If your water heater is nearing old age, you should consider replacing it before it fails, to eliminate potential water damage as well as the inconvenience of no hot water.
Moisture or condensation around the base of the water heater may signal a slow leak in its tank. Standing puddles located near the appliance also indicate a potential problem with either the water heater or the water lines connected to it.
Homeowners seeking additional expert plumbing and HVAC advice should contact us at Pipe Works Services. We have been serving northern New Jersey since 1988. Our goal is to help educate our customers in Chatham, NJ, and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
