When your water heater starts failing, it’s important that you get it fixed quickly.
The only problem is, if you don’t know which signs to look for, it may completely break down before you have a chance to fix it. Without a water heater, your life becomes much more inconvenient. Things like showering and using some of your appliances become impossible and you’ll have to do all your other water heating on your stove, which is expensive and not energy efficient whatsoever.
In this post, we’re going to help you out by telling you signs of a failing water heater. Keep reading and you’ll always be able to get your water heater fixed before big problems occur.
1. Knocking Sounds
If you start hearing tapping or knocking sounds when you go to use your hot water, that’s a strong sign that you’ve got a buildup of sediment in your water heater. When left to continue building up, these can create small tears in the metal that end up resulting in leaks.
As soon as you notice the tapping, you can prevent further damage by draining the water heater. You can do this yourself, but if you don’t understand the anatomy of a water heater, it’s always better to call a plumber instead.
2. Hot Water Isn’t Working Well/At All
Some other obvious signs of a failing water heater have to do with the temperature of the water. If you’re noticing fluctuations in temperature, that you don’t have hot water for long, or that you don’t have any at all, it’s usually a water heater problem.
There are a few things that could be happening. If you’ve got a growing family that takes up more bathroom time, it could be that your water heater isn’t actually meeting your demands. For larger families, a 50-gallon water tank is the best way to go, while a 30-gallon should do just fine for a single person or couple.
It could also be a problem with the thermostat or heating element. The thermostat should always stay where you program it, so if it’s fluctuating, make sure to consult with a professional.
3. Leaking
A leaking water heater usually requires immediate attention. In a positive scenario, it’s just a faulty connection between pipes, condensation on the bottom of the unit, or some loose screws. But, it could also be the result of the sediment buildup that we mentioned earlier.
Needless to say, leaks should be looked at immediately by a plumber and it could result in the total replacement of your water heater.
4. Cloudy/Smelly Water
If you start noticing cloudy water coming out of your taps when you’re using the hot water heater, or worse, if that water also smells, then bacteria is probably not being taken care of by your water heater’s anode rod. This requires the help of a professional that knows their way around a water heater.
It’s worth noting that the problem could also be the water supply to your home. Compare cold and hot glasses of water to determine if the cloudiness is just coming from your water heater.
Get Your Failing Water Heater Fixed
Now that you know how to recognize some of the signs of a failing water heater, you can get it fixed quickly and conveniently. Water heaters should last around 10 years, so if yours is older than that, you may need replacing. Otherwise, contact us at Drainmasters Plumbing to get your faulty water heater checked out and repaired.