How to Tell when It’s Time to Replace Your Water Heater

A water heater is necessary and visible yet undetectable. When operating efficiently, water heaters function silently in the background, providing cold and hot water throughout homes and businesses. The moment people pay attention to their water heaters, something’s wrong, which means it’s time to call a residential or commercial plumber. San Diego homeowners can benefit from the following advice about replacing a water heater.

Look for Warning Signs

Water heaters give homeowners warning signs of deterioration or malfunction, so it’s important to notice these signs and take action immediately. Age is the first notification, because any water heater more than ten years old starts to decline in exceptional service. Water heaters nearing 20 years old are leaning toward replacement over repair. Eye-catching signs of wear and tear are leaks, corrosion, and water discoloration. An unusual smell and knocking, rumbling, or gurgling sounds are other indicators of water heater issues. The last sign is cold water that doesn’t turn hot when the hot water knob is on.

A less noticeable sign of a water heater declining in quality is a higher water or energy bill. It’s important to keep previous bills for comparison. Some utility companies may offer previous bills for comparison online. Check the energy bill to see if the amount had a boost due to increased water loss.

Hire a Plumber to Replace the Water Heater

While none of these indicators tell homeowners whether a water heater needs replacing, a plumber will know right away whether this is the case. Plumbers inspect water heaters and discover upcoming problems. Trained, certified, insured, and licensed plumbers can fix current problems. Furthermore, plumbers can rely on their experience to foresee whether their repairs will solve the issues permanently or delay the inevitable.

When a water heater needs replacing, a plumber can choose the best selection based on the water heater type (electric or gas), the home’s plumbing system, and the homeowner’s budget. All materials used are of high quality, durable, and long-lasting. The water heater also comes with a warranty in case of defects. In addition, the homeowner will gain a new contact for future plumbing issues occurring in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, basement, or crawlspace as well as inside walls.

Frugal homeowners often rely on DIY techniques to approach water heater repair or replacement. After watching a few YouTube videos or reading blogs by experts, homeowners suddenly turn into experts themselves. That level of confidence can be dangerous. These people have good intentions but lack the training of professional plumbers. Therefore, an untrained homeowner tackling a water heater without experience may tamper with it incorrectly and make things worse. A leak could worsen, and water could scatter everywhere, causing severe damage. Carbon monoxide poisoning can also occur because of inexperienced hands. Worse, some heaters may explode or catch fire, causing injury, property damage, or death. Smart homeowners choose peace of mind over finances. They leave the water heaters to the experts. 

If you’re having issues with your water heater, there’s no need to go to Google and type in “residential plumbers near me.” Simply reach out to the pros at Burke Contractors. We only contract with licensed and experienced plumbers to ensure our clients receive nothing less than high-quality service delivered with outstanding professionalism. If you need an exceptional plumber, you can rely on us to connect you with the finest professionals available. When you require plumbing services of any kind, call us right away at 858-208-7765.