Top Signs Your Water Heater Needs Maintenance or Replacement
Sometimes, modern life takes convenience for granted — like reliable hot water at a moment’s notice. However, if your water heater malfunctions, the significant impact on your home or business goes beyond the costly and inconvenient service interruptions. Getting water heater maintenance means you won’t have to risk it.
Below, Poseidon Plumbing’s experts describe the signs that your water heater needs maintenance or replacement. The team offers services in Alamance and Orange Counties in North Carolina.
Inconsistent or Insufficient Hot Water
The most obvious indicator of water heater trouble is inconsistent hot water.
Do your showers run hot and cold without warning? Are your taps not producing as much hot water as normal before turning cold? Faulty heating elements, sediment buildup in the storage tanks, and an improper temperature setting are all possibilities, with regular water heater maintenance being the best preventative cure for them all.
Strange Noises Coming from the Tank
Sediment buildup in the heater’s storage tank can cause the unit to produce unusual popping, rumbling, or banging noises.
As sediment cakes up and hardens, the tank’s heating element struggles to produce sufficient energy to heat the water, leading to strange noises. Routine tank flushing and anode rod inspections at the maintenance visit could prevent this sediment buildup issue.
Discolored or Rusty Water
If the water coming from your property’s taps begins to look rusty or dirty or has a bad, metallic taste, there is likely corrosion inside the storage tank or water heater supply lines.
Corrosion in the water heater system often traces back to a deteriorating anode rod, the component that attracts corrosive elements flowing through your water supply to filter them out. The rod’s design keeps these particulates out of your water, but it also means the rod itself loses effectiveness as it deteriorates. Maintenance can catch the anode rod failure and replace the component before the tank itself leaks corrosion into your hot water.
Leaks Around the Water Heater
Visible pooling or running water around the base of a water heater means serious problems.
Generally, minor leaks result from faulty valves or fittings, while larger leaks arise with tank or pipe cracks or corrosion. Of course, any size water leak can rapidly go wrong and lead to substantial property damage, heightening your risk of seeing hazardous mold and mildew growth taking root. With water heater maintenance and some simple repairs, like replacing or adjusting a pressure relief valve, you’ll have leak detection and unit replacement services at the ready.
Age of the Water Heater
All water heaters need regular professional maintenance — especially units older than 8 to 12 years.
Old water heaters become prone to increasing sediment buildup, leaks, or a failing dip tube, which delivers cold water to the bottom of the tank for heating. A dip tube breaks down due to wear and tear, leading to improperly mixed water and inconsistent hot water at the tap. If your water heater is simply worn out, consider replacing it with a modern, energy-efficient one for greater energy efficiency and more reliable heating performance.
Low Hot Water Pressure
Has the water pressure supplied by your hot water taps become inconsistent or noticeably weaker? It could be the result of excessive mineral and sediment buildup in the storage tank.
This sediment-caused restriction diminishes the line pressure. Flushing the water heater sometimes resolves pressure issues, but it is also helpful to have an expert check for plumbing issues outside of the water heater that may be causing insufficient pressure.
Higher Energy Bills
Are you noticing higher energy bills lately?
Older water heaters are far less energy efficient and ordinary wear and tear doesn’t let up over time. If you leave it to deteriorate, the unit’s ability to efficiently produce hot water declines, and the heating element and tank corrode. Failing water heaters consume more gas or electricity without producing effective results, so maintenance could help you stay comfortable and also save on energy bills.
Exterior Corrosion or Rust
Is there corrosion or rust visible on the outside surfaces of your water heater? If so, you can expect similar deterioration in interior components.
Corrosion often builds up around the pressure relief valve as a water heater reaches a critical failure stage. Don’t wait to call a plumber.
Call Poseidon Plumbing for Full-Service Water Heater Maintenance in North Carolina
Have you already noticed the signs above? Avoid water heater breakdowns, costly repairs, water damage, and safety hazards by scheduling a professional inspection!
Call Poseidon Plumbing today at (336) 202-1287 for water heater maintenance, repair, or installation in Alamance and Orange Counties, North Carolina.