Everyone has a water heater but most people don’t think about this appliance very much. One thing you need to keep in mind is when it’s a good time to think about replacing it. Most people don’t ever give their hot water heater a thought unless it starts leaking. Once it does start leaking, then they want it replaced right away. There are some other clues, however, that you might want to keep in mind to let you know replacement time is coming.
Three Important Clues That Your Water Heater Is Near the End of Its Life
First, if it starts cracking and popping and making a lot of noise. When your hot water heater gets a lot of calcium buildup on the rod that goes through the middle of it, it will make a lot of noise every time it starts heating up. That is definitely a sign that you should replace it, sooner rather than later.
Second, look on top of the water heater. If you are getting a lot of corrosion on the supply lines going to it, then it might be time to replace it.
Third, you want to check the shutoff valve on top of the hot water heater. You need to know if it will shut off all the way. If your hot water heater ever ruptures and starts leaking, you want to be able to shut that valve off to divert a disaster.
When It Might Be Time to Get a Tankless Water Heater
If your water heater isn’t failing but it’s more than 15 years old, then you might talk to your plumber about getting a tankless water heater. That’s because your conventional water heater is near the end of its life expectancy.
Bottom line, if you want to be proactive: Look at your water heater, see how old it is, and check if it’s still working fine. But if your water heater is more than 15 years old, you might as well get a price on what it would cost to install a new one.
Pay Attention to New Building Codes When Getting a New Water Heater
When you order a new water heater, note carefully what must happen to bring it up to code when it’s replaced. That’s because codes have changed on what you have to do in order to get it to pass inspection.
I hope you have a steady supply of good, hot water. If you’re in the Albuquerque area and you need a replacement, give us a call. We’ll be out there in a flash: 505-243-1227.