How to know when your Water Heater is about to fail
A Water Heater often gives you some hints before it is ready to die or worse cause a flood. If your water heater is approaching 10 years of age and even before you should especially pay attention to signs such as;
- the hot water in your shower does not last as long as it used to
- or after a first shower their is little or no hot water for a second i.e. recovery is slow.
- Also check for any water leaks around the tank and if there are any don’t hesitate to purchase a new water heater. Repairs are usually not cost effective if you are beyond the warranty and you want to avert potential floods fast.
- Finally open the drain tap at the bottom of the water heater and check for rust and sediment. You should drain your tank once a year anyway but I will save that “how to” for another day
So what to do if you do need a new water heater? Well you will need to decide what kind of water heater you need and how long a warranty you want. For example Tankless Hot Water Heaters cost more than conventional storage water heaters. However, you may find that a tankless water heater may have lower operating and energy costs, which could offset its higher purchase price. I will get more into choosing a water heater in a new post but the point is you will need to make a few decisions before you can get estimates to compare apples to apples.
When choosing a company look for one that has been in business for awhile and has experience installing and repairing both traditional storage hot water heaters and tankless hot water heaters. Look for a company with Water Heater Services that can respond to you within 24 hours and the same day if possible.
