On average, replacing a broken water heater could cost you up to $1,500 to replace it.
If you’ve noticed your water heater leaking, you may be concerned that you’ll have to shell out all the money to replace it.
However, you may be able to fix some of the issues! So how do you know if you have a broken hot water heater or if it can be replaced? Keep reading to find out!
1. Older Water Heater
You can typically find the age of your water heater by looking at the serial number on the sticker the manufacturer put on it. On most water heaters, you’ll find it on the upper portion.
The serial number will tell you when the heater was manufactured. However, you’ll have to decipher it, because it may look like: “F061052638.”
This would mean that F is the month. Since it’s the sixth letter in the alphabet, it will represent the year’s sixth month. The following two digits would represent the year so it would be 2006. Check the manufacturer’s website if your serial number looks nothing like this.
Most water heaters will last about ten years before you need a full water heater replacement. To make it last as long as possible, you should ensure that it’s somewhere that won’t be damaged.
2. No Hot Water
If you find yourself rationing the hot water all the time, you might want to try and first adjust the temperature dial.
Wait about a half-hour after you do that and then see if the water temperature is warmer when you run your hand under the faucet to test it.
If that doesn’t work, try and check your circuit breaker. Make sure the thermostat isn’t tripped or stuck in a different setting. Sometimes this can happen, especially if you have an electric water heater.
If none of that works, make sure that you contact a professional. If you aren’t sure where to start, make sure that you click here to get more info.
3. Rusty Valve or Water
While steel is one of the strongest metals used for the water heater, but it does rust easily. Once rust starts corroding the steel surface, it will eat through the steel, especially when it’s built up in places.
Once the buildup starts happening, it’ll create holes which is when the water will start leaking.
Once some of the spots are rusting, it would start spreading and eating through all of the steel. It can be even more dangerous when the rust is inside of the water heater because you won’t be able to catch the problem before it gets worse.
However, you might notice rusty water, which could be a sign that there is rust inside of your water heater. Rusting can happen in any water heater, but it normally happens in water heaters that are also between eight and ten years old.
4. Rumbling Noises
As your water heater will get older, sediment and dirt will start to build up at the bottom of the tank. When the sediment is constantly heated up, again and again, it will start to harden.
When this will happen, you’ll start to hear banging or rumbling noises coming from inside of the water heater. This will happen every time you heat it up to get hot water.
When you have the layer of hard sediment at the bottom, it’ll make it less efficient to use. This means that you’ll also have to pay more for electricity or gas just to start it up.
If you don’t get a replacement for the water heater and keep using it with the hardened sentiment, you’ll eventually just wear it down and cause more damage. When you keep doing the damage, it will start to crack and create tiny holes, which can cause leaking water to come out.
5. Lower Water Flow
When you have a change in water pressure or less water, this could also mean that the sediment is too hard. However, it could also be issued with the plumbing inside of the pipes at your home.
If you don’t have a tankless water heater, you should try draining the tank. Then you can flush out the sediment. However, if the problem doesn’t work, you may want to have a professional come and check the pipes.
6. Water Pooling Around the Broken Water Heater
Some people might hear the water dripping before they actually see it.
However, if you see water, don’t try and fix it yourself. If you are going to fix it, make sure that you disconnect the electricity and gas off to the unit before you touch it.
You should also make sure that you let it cool down once you’ve used it. Then, you can inspect more to find out where the leak is. Depending on how bad it is, you may need to call someone to come service it.
Discover More Signs To Know: “Is Your Water Heater Leaking?”
Is your water heater leaking? These are only a few signs it could be, but there are many more signs that you could have a broken water heater on your hands!
We know that dealing with any type of
If you enjoyed this article, make sure that you explore our website to find more articles just like this one!
