3 Signs Your Water Heater is Due for Replacement

When it comes to important appliances in your home, your water heater is one of those that's right there near the top of the list. Your water heater plays a very important role in your home, for you and your family's daily lives overall, providing you with a great deal of the comfort and convenience you enjoy on a regular basis. As such an important feature in your home, it can be a serious hassle when your old water heater finally starts to break down, especially if you haven't started considering replacement options until that point. Considering replacement options before your current water heater finally quits can save you a lot of time, hassle, and headache when it comes time to replace your old water heater, and being aware of the signs that your current water heater is nearing the end of its life can be absolutely invaluable, but many homeowners are unaware of what they are. To help with that issue, our team of skilled Houston plumbers have taken the time to put together this handy list that highlights just a few of the common signs you can be on the lookout for that might indicate it's time to start searching for water heater replacement options.

Your Unit is Old

While most people have different opinions on what actually constitutes "old," when it comes to your water heater, older tanks are generally those that have reached 10 years in age, or older. To find the age of your water heater, you'll want to take a look at your unit's serial number on the manufacturer's sticker near the top of the tank. The first two numbers usually indicate the year that your unit was manufactured, but some of these stickers can vary, so it's best to check on the manufacturer's website. If you determine that your water heater is older than 10 years, even if it's still performing correctly for the time being, it's probably in your best interest to start considering replacement options as opposed to waiting for your system to fail entirely.

Rusty Water

If you notice your water starts to take on a bit of a rusty hue whenever you turn on the hot water, it could be an indication that your tank is starting to rust from the inside, at which point you're likely going to want to start looking at replacement options. When your water heater rusts from the inside, it makes it much more likely for your tank to spring a leak, flooding the area around it with water and putting your home at serious risk of damage.

To determine whether or not the rusty water is coming from your water heater, and not just from your plumbing pipes themselves, a proven method is to fill up several buckets alternating between hot and cold water. If you notice the rusty color only in the buckets with hot water, then you can fairly accurately surmise that the rust is coming from your water heater, and not from your plumbing itself.

Rumbling & Other Strange Noises

As your water heater starts to age, sediment will start to collect along the bottom of your tank. As this sediment continues to be heated and reheated over time, it will eventually harden, causing you to waste energy and reducing the overall capacity of your tank itself. As sediment builds up along the bottom of your tank, you can usually tell because your tank will likely start to produce rumbling or banging noises as the sediment itself comes in contact with your tank's heating element.

Sediment can be dangerous to your water heater, as it will not only cause you to run out of hot water sooner than you would otherwise, but because of the extra time it will take to heat your water with sediment present. If you notice any strange noises that might indicate you have sediment forming in your water heater, the best bet is to start considering replacement options.