Signs It May Be Time to Replace Your Water Heater

Your water heater is a water appliance that you probably do not give a lot of thought to. This is because this appliance is usually out of sight and does not need a lot of care or maintenance. Your water heater plays a key role in your day-to-day life, though. It helps to supply the hot water needed to wash your hands, shower, wash dishes or do laundry. One of the most obvious signs that it is time to hire plumbing companies in Phoenix, or companies located closest to you, to replace your water heater is that your water heater is not working at all. But, in most cases, your water heater will give you signs before it stops working, letting you know to replace it before it fails. Here are some of those signs. 

Your Water Heater is Not Supplying Your Home With Enough Hot Water

As your water heater ages, it may slowly lose some of its capacity to heat water. Ultimately, this may mean that you run out of hot water faster. In general, this may not be a huge problem and you need to know when to replace your water heater. But it becomes a problem if this drop prevents you from being able to take as long a shower as you would like or prevents you from fully filling up your bathtub. If your water heater is not giving you enough hot water, it's time to replace the water heater. 

Your Water Heater Has a Crack or Leak

Another sign indicating that it is time to replace your hot water heater is a crack in the body of the heater or a leak in the water heater. There is no way to replace cracks or leaks in the body of the hot water heater. As such, if you see a puddle of water forming beneath your water tank, or you can see a visible crack, it is time to start shopping for a new hot water heater. 

Your Water Heater Is Rusted

Rust is another common issue that can occur with hot water heaters but cannot be repaired. Your hot water heater is hot, and the air surrounding the hot water heater may be cold. This leads to condensation forming on the metal tank. Over time, this can lead to rust forming. A small amount of rust can be cleaned and removed from the tank without worry. However, if a large amount of rust is present, or the rust has weakened the metal, the hot water heater must be replaced. 

Your Water Heater is Not Energy Efficient

The last sign that it may be time to replace your water heater is that your current hot water heater is no longer – or has never been – energy efficient. Hot water heaters may use gas or electricity to heat the water in the tank. If you notice your energy or gas bill has increased, it may be due to your hot water heater not being efficient. A plumber can do a test to determine how efficient your water heater is. Replacing a heater that is not efficient may help you to save energy and money. 

If you notice that your hot water heater is not supplying your home with enough hot water, has a crack or leak, is rusted, or is not energy efficient, it is time to consider replacing your hot water heater. Additionally, water heaters last about 20 years. If yours is at or near the end of its lifespan, it may be time to replace it. Reach out to local plumbing companies in Phoenix to get help finding a new water heater and getting that new water heater installed.