Many people never think of their water heater when asked about the most essential devices in their homes. Although our daily lives depend on this crucial piece of equipment, we never think of it or care about it. We keep ignoring it until it breaks down or starts showing signs of impending breakdown.
That’s unfortunate because a timely detection of hot water system issues leads to prompt maintenance calls. Moreover, careful management of this system uncovers replacement signs for proper budgeting and planning for this significant upgrade.
If you are worried about the performance of your water heater, it breaks down frequently, or you have to deal with warm water instead of hot, you must pay attention to this blog post. Many times, we overlook the fact that our home needs a hot water system upgrade because we fail to recognise the signs.
Top 8 Hot Water System Replacement Signs
Here are eight signs that your old water heater needs replacement.
Age
For most households, the age of their water heaters acts as the most significant indicator of impending replacement. So, at what age does your heater age out of service?
Although plumbing experts claim that these heaters can serve you for up to 12 to 15 years, some plumbers in Sydney beg to differ. It’s claimed that the heater’s helpful life shrinks or expands with the type of treatment it receives.
A properly maintained water heater can sustain a household for up to 15 years. At the same time, if you fail to service your heater regularly, it can break down in ten years or earlier.
The second factor that influences this lifespan is the number of people living in the home. A large-sized family will likely use more hot water, leading to more intense wear and tear.
As a rule of thumb, you should start checking your hot water system for other replacement signs mentioned in this blog post after 10 years of its life.
Warm Water
If you have set the heater’s thermostat at the right level and are still experiencing warm water instead of hot, you might be dealing with a broken heater. While most heaters start to indicate heating issues by failing to heat the water to the desired temperature, in extreme cases, you may also get cold water.
When you get cold or warm water from your hot water faucets, don’t jump to conclusions before checking the current water demand. Sometimes, when we use water excessively, the hot water supply runs out. Then, the heater gets no solution but to start sending mildly heated water to the faucets.
Water Leak
If your heater is leaking and you witness a puddle beneath it, you have significant evidence that it has served its purpose and can be discarded. Note that a leaking tank may or may not disrupt the heating efficiency.
Although it may continue to provide hot water to your house and show no signs of breakdown, the leak indicates an impending failure. You must act promptly after witnessing such a leak, as it can be dangerous.
While you’re at it, take your time to check the source of this leak. Most water heater leaks originate from leaks in valves and pipes. These flaws are repairable and don’t warrant a hot water system upgrade.
Noisy Tank
Are you regularly hearing strange noises from the water tank? These can include rumbling and banging during heating. If yes, your tank may be experiencing a build-up of sediment at its bottom.
When the heater heats the water, built-up causes these loud boiling sounds. These minerals can corrode the tanks and the heater, causing a decrease in efficiency and a rise in energy costs. Eventually, it may cause the tank to leak or break down.
Sediment Build-Up
Rumbling boiling water in a tank is one indicator of sediment building up in your water heater. Otherwise, you can inspect its tank to ensure water quality.
These build-ups often result from faulty heater drainage. A defective drain valve is a prominent sign of impending hot water system replacement. Try draining the tank to rule out this fault. If the valve works, you may use the heater for a few more years.
Foul-Smelling Water
The taste of water from your water heater also tells you when to replace your water heater. The metallic taste of hot water from your faucet is a clear indicator of heater failure. Additionally, it will give a metallic smell.
This taste comes from the increase of iron minerals in water. When the tank and heating system corrode, the excess iron mineral is released into the water, contaminating it. This contaminated water tastes and smells metallic.
Higher Energy Bills
Sometimes, the signs of replacing your water heaters are as subtle as increasing energy bills without increased use. So, if you believe that you haven't added any appliance to your home and your bill has spiked, you might be looking at a water heater problem.
This surge in bills results from the decreased efficiency of its heating system. Now, the system is taking more energy units to heat the same amount of water than before. A well-planned, professional hot water system replacement is needed.
If you are on the hunt for reliable Sydney plumbing services, JCON Plumbing has your back with the most affordable service in all of Australia!
Frequent Breakdowns
Last but not least, if your water heater keeps breaking down, you might want to replace it with another one. Frequent failures may indicate a more significant problem under all wear and tear.
Now, you wouldn’t want to change your heater only because it refused to supply ten people in the home one time in the year. Still, you will want to get it checked if it keeps sending your cold water on most days or if you keep having issues with one part or another.
Summing It Up
Water heaters are often the most ignored piece of machinery in our homes. Still, we rely a lot on them. If your water heater is acting up, you might want to know if it needs replacement or not.
This blog details different signs that tell you if your heater has served its purpose and is ready to be replaced. When you are ready for a new hot water system, call JCON Plumbing for professional and reliable plumbers in Sydney to do the job!
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