Does Your Water Heater Need Replacement Soon?
When it comes to appliances in your home, you may be thinking that if something isn't broke, you shouldn't mess with it. However, many appliances can show signs of failure before it actually happens. While you can bundle up with extra layers of clothing if your furnace goes out in the winter, living a few days without hot water can be difficult. Here are some signs that your hot water heater needs to be replaced soon.
Rust Spots
One problem with a hot water tank that cannot be fixed is rust. If there is rust on the exterior of the tank, it means that the anode rod in the tank is gone and the exterior of the tank is forming a hole in it. While you may think that the rust spot is nothing to be concerned about, be aware that the exterior of the tank is now compromised. It's possible that rust could form on the bottom of the tank, causing a leak that allows all the hot water to drain onto your floor. This is a problem that you could avoid by getting the water heater replaced sooner rather than later.
If you do not have any rust on the exterior of the tank, pay attention to the color of the hot water that comes out of your faucets. Does it look like it has a bit of a rust color to it? If so, that could be due to rust that has formed inside the tank and begun to affect the quality of your water. The rust will eventually get through to the outside of the tank if you are not mindful about replacing the unit.
Lack of Hot Water
Was your hot water heater able to keep up with your water use in the past? It may have been able to get through everyone in your household showering in the morning, but now it can barely make it through the last person without the water getting cold. This means that the heating element of the hot water tank is starting to fail. The tank simply cannot keep up with creating enough new hot water as it is being used by people in your home. You can take this as a sign that the hot water tank should be replaced, and maybe even consider getting a bigger tank to avoid this problem in the future.
Reach out to a professional home plumbing service for assistance with selecting and installing a new hot water heater.