Most people use their water heaters while they can without knowing if it is about to fail even if the unit is giving off a lot of warning signs.
This being said, you should be aware of these signs so that you can take the necessary steps like soliciting the help of technicians to prevent the occurrence of a real problem.
1- Presence of Rusty water
Rust is a sign of deterioration. If you notice that the water coming out from the hot side of your piping system is rusty, you should take time to inspect your water heater because it is probably getting rusty on the inside. If your pipes are made of PVC and not galvanized steel, you should take this as a warning that your water heating device will possibly leak sometime later on.
If your pipes are made of steel, you will know if it is rusting by getting a few buckets of hot water from the heater. If the water becomes clear towards the fourth or fifth bucket, the rust is in your pipes, but if rust is still present at this stage, you water heater is most probably corroded.
2- The heater becomes noisy
Overtime, sediment will naturally build up at the bottom of the tank and when it hardens, it can cause the heater to produce a lot of rumbling sounds especially when it is heating up. This is a warning that you should consider replacing your heater because its useful life is near is coming to an end. The hardened sediment will affect the performance of your heater and cause it to spend more time heating the water. This can lead to additional cost of electricity and bring damage to your metal tank, causing it to leak.
3- There’s water around your water heater
The presence of water or moisture around your water heater is an indication that your tank or its fittings are leaking. You should make sure that your tank is water tight by inspecting the other components of your water heating system. Once you are sure that the fittings or the connections going to the tank are watertight, it would be safe to consider buying a replacement for your water heater.
These are the physical signs that your water heater is nearing deterioration. But as a rule of thumb, you should also consider the age of your unit as another sign because it can help to make you aware that sooner or later, it will begin to show signs of deterioration. Knowing that your heater has served you well enough is one factor that can help you to decide without hesitation that a replacement is necessary. If the signs start to appear, you can call your favorite handyman plumbing services to do the necessary measures so that you can continue to enjoy hot water without going through the hassles of tracing the tanks and pipelines for leaks.
