Almost every house in Rockville, MD has a water heater. This device is usually attached to the indoor plumbing to ensure a constant supply of hot water, without which homeowners would face the reality of showering and performing basing cleaning tasks with extremely cold water, which is known for being uncomfortable and ineffective. Therefore, the importance of a properly functioning water heater in your house cannot be overemphasized. However, it is important to note that although modern water heaters are quite reliable and durable, they are not designed to outlast homes and buildings.
Therefore, even with proper use and maintenance, there will come a time you will be required to replace your water heater. By ensuring a timely water heater replacement, you can avoid a lot of problems. This is because water heaters tend to become more problematic and expensive to run as they approach the end of their lifespan. To avoid such problems, you need to get the timing of your water heater replacements right. But how can you tell it is time to replace your water heater? Below is a rundown of the signs you need a new replacement water heater.
Your Water Heater Is Over a Decade Old
As mentioned above, your water heater is not designed to outlast your house. On average, modern water heaters last between 10 and 15 years, However, this does not imply that your water heater will just stop working on the last day of its estimated lifespan. However, around that time, it might start wearing out more rapidly, and its performance might decline. Besides, your old water heater might start developing issues that might force you to seek more frequent water heater repairs. To avoid the problems associated with old water heaters, you need to get the timing of your water heater replacement right. To his end, you need to determine when your water heater was installed. If you are not sure when your water heater was installed, you can check the date it was manufactured on the serial number or ask a professional plumber to help you do it. If your water heater is over a decade old, you will need to start preparing yourself to acquire a new replacement water heater.
Skyrocketing Energy Bills
Considering the amount of work your water heater needs to do to ensure a constant supply of hot water in your house, it is not surprising that it is one of the most significant energy consumers in your house, probably only second to the HVAC system. Therefore, the efficiency of your water heater is something you need to be very concerned about. Generally, water heaters tend to lose efficiency as they age. This can be explained in several ways. For instance, the performance of the essential parts of your water heater, such as the heating elements, will decline with time. Therefore, as your water heater approaches the end of its life, it will become more difficult for it to heat water, meaning that it will take more time and consume more energy to achieve its objectives. Unfortunately, this will cause your energy bills to skyrocket. Therefore, if you have noticed that your energy bills have been going up sharply, it may be the right time to start talking to your water heater replacement expert about the need to get a new water heater. The expert will assess the condition of your water heater and advise you accordingly.
Running Out of Hot Water Frequently
As your water heater approaches the end of its lifespan, it will become less reliable. For instance, the supply of hot water in your home might start getting interrupted frequently. This can happen due to several reasons. For instance, the pilot light might start going out more frequently, meaning that the water heater may fail to heat water all the time. Besides, if your family has grown bigger over the years, the demand for hot water in your house might have become too high for your water heater to handle. Whatever the cause of an unreliable supply of hot water in your home might be, it can cause serious inconveniences, and you will need to get your water heater replaced promptly or live with those inconveniences. By working with a professional water heater replacement expert, you will ensure you get the right capacity of replacement water heater to meet the current and projected demand for hot water in your Rockville, MD house.
Rusty Hot Water
Your water heater is most likely made of steel. Although steel is one of the toughest materials in the world, it is susceptible to rusting. Unfortunately, rust will gradually eat away your water heater and stain your water. Therefore, if you have noticed that the water coming from your water heater has a brown discoloration and a metallic taste and smell, your water heater could be rusting away. While rust may not pose serious health hazards in your house, nobody wants to drink discolored water. Besides, rusty water might damage some home appliances and stain light-colored fabric. Therefore, when you notice that your water heater is too rusty, you will need to start thinking of a water heater replacement. However, before you can spend your money on a water heater replacement, you need to get a plumber to assess the condition of your old water heater to help you know the extent of the rust and if there is anything other solution that can be applied to resolve the issue, especially if your water heater is relatively new.
The Bottom Line
Overall, it is apparent that when the time for a water heater replacement comes, it will not be too hard for you to know. If you are looking for a dependable plumber licensed to offer water heater replacement services in Rockville, MD, Clarksburg Plumbing is the answer. Feel free to get in touch with us today to learn more about our company and the services we are best known for.
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