When is it time to replace your hot water system? This is a question with many answers. Below is a list of what to watch out for to help you know just when it’s time to change your water heater, before it’s too late.
Water Heater is Leaking, But Where?
The most frequent sign that the hot water tank needs to be replaced is because of leaking. If your tank is at least more than six years old and is leaking somewhere that you cannot find, it is highly likely that it has degraded to the point that it is leaking through a sidewall seam, a welded joint, or a steel thread has rusted through. These problems are non-repairable, so in the majority of cases, check with a Los Angeles plumber about getting the tank repaired or replaced…
Water is No Longer as hot as before
If you find yourself having to increase the temperature setting on your gas valve or increasing the thermostat setting on your electric tank, you should know your tank is approaching the end of its lifespan. Corrosion on the inside of your tank will have decayed the dip tube, coated the electric elements, or has over-worked the gas valve. Should you be in W. Australia, and interested in solar hot water heating, solar hot water heating in Perth from Peter Stannard Plumbing & Gas is affordable, and fitted by experienced, reliable professionals. Check ‘em out.
When the Drain Valve is Opened, No Water Comes Out
You really should drain your hot water tank at least once a year to remove any sediment that may have settled on the bottom of your tank. Most people forget or neglect to do this simple plumbing job until the tank starts playing up. Of all the tanks that get replaced, 1 in 5 are so full of sediment that the water has to be pumped out of the top of the tank.
More on Sediment
When a hot water tank develops a layer of sediment on the bottom, it will quickly deteriorate the bottom part of the tank. What will happen is that the flame has to burn for a much longer amount of time, because the sediment acts as a barrier between the flame and the water that’s being heated. This is obviously both inefficient and harmful to the bottom of the tank. Whenever you may have heard tales about the “bottom falling out” of someone’s water heater (a whole lot of water going all over the place), sediment build-up is typically to blame.
Replacement not Complacent
If there’s no water coming out when you open the drain valve, you may want to try pumping the water out from the top of the tank and then try vacuuming the sludge out, (naturally using the right equipment), but being realistic, your tank has in all probability already deteriorated enough that it would be a waste of time and money. You simply need to replace your water heater and the sooner the better!
Alas
Hot Water, what would we do without it? (But don’t get yourself figuratively into it!)
Photo: VeloBusDriver
