Your water heater can last for anywhere from 8 to 15 years before it needs to be replaced. But that leaves a lot of room within that estimated period, so how do you know when your water heater actually needs to be upgraded?
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about water heater installation in Grosse Pointe. Then give our team a call to get on the schedule for your installation assessment. We can look at your current unit and let you know whether or not it’s time for an upgrade. Then we can help you select the best replacement when the time comes.
Water Heater Age
You can expect a gas water heater to last between 8 and 12 years and an electric water heater to last between 10 and 15 years. A heat pump water heater – also known as a hybrid electric water heater – has an expected lifespan of 13 to 15 years. This is on the longer end of the spectrum because heat pump water heaters are more energy efficient and thus don’t have to work quite as hard.
Hot Water Output
Are you noticing issues with hot water output anywhere in your home? You may find that water is not as hot in the rooms furthest away from the water heater. Alternately, you might find that temperature fluctuates on a case-by-case basis.
For example, you may have perfectly hot water that suddenly becomes cold and then flashes back to hot or hot water that flashes to be scalding for a few seconds. It’s also possible that your hot water is not as hot as it once was overall. When this happens, you may be tempted to adjust the thermostat higher and higher, although this is risky so we advise against it.
Water That is Discolored
You should also pay attention to water color. If you notice that the water has an orange or brown tint to it, your water heater may be corroding. When this happens, the inside lining of the tank is wearing away and allowing the metal to rust, transferring the discoloration into the water itself.
Rust is concerning because once it begins to develop inside of your water heater, it cannot be reversed. The only solution is to replace your water heater entirely with a new model. Once you have any water heater in place, you can flush it out annually to eliminate mineral buildup from hard water and reduce the risks of corrosion.
Unusual Noise During Operation
Your water heater should not make too many sounds while it is operating. You may hear water flow or a pressure valve releasing every now and then, but other than that operation should be fairly silent. Hearing a whistling or hissing sound too often means that pressure is consistently too high inside of the tank and needs to be addressed.
A popping or kettling sound usually points to hard water buildup. As the heating element turns on to heat the water, it moves these minerals around and results in a loud noise. A smaller number of minerals may lead to a popping, but a significant buildup may sound more like rumbling. Essentially, any noise that you find concerning needs to be looked at by our team.
The more frequently that you hear loud noises or the more concerning the noises are, the more likely that your water heater needs to be replaced. If you address concerns earlier, we may be able to fix them, but as your water heater ages it becomes more and more likely that a replacement is needed.
Persistent Leaks
Your water heater should never leak. However, minor leaks are easy for our team to address. If it seems like you’re getting one leak fixed only for another one to pop up shortly thereafter, your water heater may simply be old enough that it needs to be totally replaced.
Leaks are dangerous because they also allow air to get into the tank and speed up corrosion as well as causing an imbalance in pressure. This can cause your water heater to wear down faster than it otherwise would.
Contact Charter Home Comfort today to schedule an appointment with our professionals for water heater service. Old fashioned values with tech savvy results!