It’s always a bummer when a home needs a water heater replacement, and these warning signs can help you save money before disaster strikes!
One of the most uncomfortable plumbing mishaps that a household can go through is a lack of hot water, and this is always an exponentially worse problem for Northern Utah homeowners as the winter months come around and temperatures drop dramatically.
The truth of the matter is that water heaters, like just about every other household appliance, will eventually fail. But lucky for you the plumbing experts at Beehive Plumbing are masters with water heater replacement and water heater repair services.
On this page we’re going to go over 6 rather common warning signs that can indicate water heater problems to home and business owners, so it’s always important to keep our Master Plumbers in mind when you’re experiencing any of the following telltale signs that your water heater is failing!
Internal Rusting Within Your Water Heater
Sacrificial anodes are a really important part of many water heaters, and the main purpose of these metal rods is to prevent corrosion within your water heater. What happens is that the anode rods are slowly but surely consumed in order to protect the metals found within your water heater, which is why they’re referred to as “sacrificial”.
As you can imagine, sacrificial anodes will need to be replaced every now and again simply because it’s part of their nature to require replacements. These anodes will always last many years, but it’s still always a good idea to consider yearly checkups so our experts can monitor them and make sure everything is maintaining its overall longevity.
If one of our water heater specialists notices that your sacrificial anodes are worn down and causing detrimental harm to your entire water heater, then we may need to simply just replace the metal rods or conduct a comprehensive water heater replacement.
Buildup Of Sediment
Mineral deposits will typically be separated during the process of heating up municipal water supplies, and what tends to happen is that these minerals will then settle on to the bottom of your water heater’s tank.
Sediment buildup is the type of water heater issue that slowly but surely turns into a really serious problem, and eventually sediment buildup can lead to losses in efficiency and serious damages. This type of water heater problem is particularly troublesome for residential properties that experience hard water, which can also be better resolved via installing water softeners.
The best way to avoid this type of common warning sign towards water heater replacement is to efficiently have your water heater tank flushed out each and every year! But of course there are many instances in which homeowners neglect this issue, which then leads them to require a water heater replacement.
Water Pressure That’s Much Too High!
When your home has a really high water pressure, this can potentially lead to water heater damages. High water pressure can lead to many different issues throughout your home’s plumbing system as well, including damages to your other appliances and pipes.
One common sign that your water heater is experiencing issues due to high water pressure is overflow pipe leaking, which is on the side of your water heater. So if you notice any kind of leaking coming from this area, then it’s a rather clear indication that your home is suffering from excessively high water pressure.
The best way to avoid this type of water heater issue is to make sure that you’re keeping you PSI level no higher than 80. You may also require replacements of both your T&P (temperature/pressure) relief valves, and sometimes an entire water heater replacement if the damage is irreparable!
Corrosive Incoming Air/Fumes
Water heaters will always require drawing in air in order to initiate the necessary amount of combustion that’s needed to heat up water, and there can always be issues when a water heater is utilizing poor-quality air.
Although most Utah homeowners don’t necessarily have to worry about poor air quality too much, there are always some instances in which corrosive air will be the culprit of water heater tank corrosion and eventual failures.
The best way to avoid this type of situation is to always keep highly corrosive substances like bleach and ammonia far away from your water heater!
You Have A Water Heater That’s The Wrong Size
Residential and commercial water heaters come in all different sizes, and these sizes are mainly oriented around water usage throughout a particular property. What tends to happen is that a household will have a water heater that is much too small to accommodate their daily water usage habits, which then leads the water heater to become stressed due to overuse.
When a water heater is overused, it can over time lead to serious damages and even breakdowns!
The best thing a home or business owner can do in order to prevent this type of situation is to speak with one of our plumbing specialists about your water usage to allow us to better decipher what the right size is for your property.
Typical Wear And Tear From Old Age
Today’s water heaters can last up to about 20 years, but still the vast majority of Northern Utah homeowners have water heaters that last around 10-15 years. So if your water heater is currently older than 15 years, then you should simply understand that you’re getting extra years out of this appliance and eventually you’ll need a replacement.
There are many warning signs that a water heater is experiencing issues simply due to old age, including things like faulty pilot lights or heating elements.
The only thing you can really do when your water heater is approaching the end of its lifetime is to consider replacing it with a more modern, energy efficient water heater!
Common Types Of Water Heaters You Should Consider For Your Replacement
So if you’re experiencing any of the above common warning signs for a water heater replacement, then it’s likely that you’re also in the market for a new water heater. What you’ll undoubtedly find out really quickly is that you’re going to have some options, and our team will be more than happy to help you with this type of plumbing appliance investment research.
Gas water heaters will typically utilize natural gas in order to rather efficiently heat up your property’s water supply, and electric water heaters utilize electric coils in order to perform this exact same function.
A really popular innovation throughout the plumbing industry is the emergence of tankless water heaters, which come in either gas or electric formats and heat your water supply up as you need it instead of keeping an entire tank heated!
Reach Out To The Plumbing Specialists At Beehive Plumbing For More Information About Your Water Heater Replacement Options!
Beehive Plumbing has been helping countless home and business owners across Northern Utah when it comes to all types of water heater problems, and we’ll be there for you through every step of the replacement process if you need a new one. We also understand how a new water heater may seem like a rather daunting home improvement investment, which is why we’ll always help you out by offering financing options.
So always feel free to reach out to us online or call us at 801-661-8155 today to get in touch with our team and let us know what exactly is going on with your property’s water heater!
