When to Think About Water Heater Repairs
A home’s water heater is a critical piece of equipment that goes underappreciated until it fails, seemingly out of the blue. Most water heaters show signs before they fail, allowing perceptive homeowners to take preemptive action, like calling for water heater repairs. While some signs are obvious, like leaks or a loss of hot water, others are more subtle, meaning homeowners must stay on their toes.
Here are three common signs that many homeowners overlook that indicate the need for water heater repairs.
Utility Costs Are Rising
Utility costs are always rising. Despite market influences, the price of natural gas and electrical power only seems to worsen. Water heaters already use up to 30% of the energy in the average home, making them expensive to operate. How much worse could the problem be if something went wrong with the water heater?
Monitoring utility bills is a great way to track the water heater’s condition. Since water heaters use so much energy, it can be relatively easy to spot spikes in energy bills. A spreadsheet or utility tracker can be used to monitor water consumption and the energy source used by the water heater. If the two bills correlate higher every month, it is a good sign something is wrong with the water heater. For more correlations, look for things like:
- Neglected water heater maintenance
- Frequent repairs
- Aging water tank
If these signs are present, along with the rise in bills, water heater repair or a new installation are the best options to get bills back under control.
Owners Can Hear Strange Sounds
Struggling water heaters often make noises that indicate problems. The trouble is that most people don’t spend enough time near their water heater to know the difference between normal operations and regular noise. Furthermore, a noisy water heater may go undetected simply because no one checks on it. Routinely checking the water heater and scheduling annual water heater maintenance can help find sounds that indicate repairs are needed. Common sounds that indicate abnormal operation are:
- Thumping
- Rumbling
- Whistling
- Popping
- Hissing
If these sounds are heard at any point, a professional should be called to assess the situation. They can recommend whether maintenance, repairs, or replacement are the best actions.
Unusual Color or Smell to the Water
The final sign of a struggling water heater has to do with the water quality of the hot water coming from the appliances in the home. Hot water should be identical to cold water except that it is heated. It shouldn’t have any tinge of red to it or carry any sediment. As a water heater corrodes, it can increase the sediment in the water and even allow rust to leech into the water, affecting the appearance and taste. Often, odors accompany this, although there are occasions when the water will appear fine but smell sulfurous. If the water quality from the hot water tank is bad, a professional opinion is needed.
About Affordable Plumbing, Heating & Air
Affordable Plumbing, Heating & Air offers upfront pricing on plumbing service and leaves no mess behind once they’re done. Their membership program extends the life of the plumbing in the home, especially the portion dedicated to water heater maintenance. Call today for water heater services in Fairhope, AL.
