Assuming you keep up with care for your water heater, you can reasonably expect it to last a pretty long time. No water heater lasts forever, however, no matter how well maintained it may be. At some point, you’ll need to invest in a new system. The key is to know when that is required, and then to hire a professional Tumwater, WA plumber to do the installation correctly.
There are a variety of signs that you can look for that indicate your water heater is nearing the end of its life. If you start to notice one or more of the following signs, it’s a good idea to consult with a professional about whether or not it’s time to replace the system. Continue reading to learn more.
Your Water Heater Isn’t Meeting Its Demand
This is one of the top signs that your water heater isn’t able to effectively do its job anymore. Putting your water heater under a lot of demand, whether it be through a lot of people using hot water at once or using hot water in one location for a long period of time, will eventually overwhelm the water heater.
So if you notice your water heater is struggling to meet moderate demand the way it used to, it could definitely be a sign that you’re nearing the end of its lifespan. The wear and tear on the system accumulates over years of normal use, and this will eventually begin to negatively impact its operation. Aside from replacing the water heater, there’s not much, if anything, that can be done to help your water heater perform more efficiently at this point.
You Need Frequent Repairs
Water heaters are typically more sturdy than other home comfort systems since they do not have a lot of moving parts and therefore have fewer ways for issues to develop. However, you can reasonably expect to repair your water heater at least a couple of times throughout its lifecycle.
If you find yourself calling for water heater repairs multiple times a year, however, it’s time to consider a replacement system. Just like with dropping output, the problem in cases like this is typically built up wear and tear over the years. You can keep repairing the system if you want to, but this really is just delaying the inevitable, and costing you more money in the long run. If your water heater needs repairs every few months, it makes more economic sense to just replace it.
Your Water Heater Is 15+ Years Old
Again, if you take good care of your water heater, it can last a long time—about 10-15 years. Once a water heater gets any older, it starts to accumulate problems such as those we mentioned above. The water heater will gradually become more and more costly to continue running.
Oftentimes, you’ll save more money in the long run by installing a new system once your current one passes the age of 15 years. So if yours is edging up there or has already passed that age, it’s a good idea to call a professional and ask them to evaluate it for you.
For quality plumbing and water heater services, contact Brooks Plumbing Co. today!
