Your hot water heater allows you to live a comfortable life. This system can last many years in your home, but every appliance has a finite lifespan—you can’t expect it to last forever even with proper care and maintenance. You should never procrastinate when it comes to replacing an outdated appliance in your home, but this is especially true of your water heater.
It’s also one of the most used appliances in your home. In fact, your water heater accounts for almost 17% of your home’s energy usage. That’s more than all your other household appliances combined. Make sure that it’s always working at its best. If you’re looking for a great water heater installation in Salem, OR then contact our team today. If you’re wondering when to replace, keep reading below.
Signs It’s Time to Replace
It’s not always obvious to homeowners when they should replace their water heater. Many of us tend to write off problems as minor inconveniences that we can learn to live with, but you don’t have to. If you’re experiencing any of the following problems, it’s a good time to replace.
Frequent Breakdowns
Are you experiencing breakdowns with your water heater often? Every appliance is going to have its problems, but if you find yourself in need to repairs too frequently then you should shift your focus from repairs to replacement. We understand why many people are hesitant to replace their system—repairs seem cheaper but allocating your money toward a replacement of an old system is much more cost-effective. A new unit will give you consistency, less of a headache, and it will cost you less in operating costs.
Not Enough Water
Do you find yourself getting surprised with a stream of cold water halfway through your shower? This is an unpleasant experience that you don’t have to deal with. The most common sign that your water heater is failing is a lack of hot water throughout your system. This is because of the sediment build up in your tank. Over time, this sediment settles at the bottom of the water heater and limits the capacity of your system.
Leaks
If your water heater is in bad shape, you might spring a leak. As metal heats overtime, it expands, so it’s common to encounter slight fractures. If you seem to have a lot of leaks you should replace your system. There’s no reason to keep combatting these problems because they’ll keep occurring. Before you replace your water heater, make sure that there are no other leaks coming from the fittings or connections to the tanks. If there are any leaks, you’ll still encounter problems even with a new system.
Old Age
Even if you treat your system well, it can’t last forever. If you’ve had your water heater between 10 and 15 years (even if it isn’t giving you trouble) you should start getting prepared to replace. Once a water heater is in this age bracket replacement is inevitable and the longer you wait to replace this system the costlier it becomes to maintain it. Avoid a major breakdown and replace now!
