There are a few essential appliances in your home, and without them, you simply can’t have a quality life. One of those appliances is definitely your water heater. Unfortunately, like most appliances, the water heater also has a relatively short lifespan. Most heaters work properly for about ten years and then start to break down.
Therefore, if you have an older water heater, you should definitely not be surprised if you notice certain issues. Even certain times you start feeling that rotten egg smell is coming from water. What kind of problems should you expect? Well, this is exactly what we are going to talk about today. Here are the most common water heater issues you should be aware of.
Leaking
It’s safe to say that leaking is one of the most common problems when it comes to water heaters. Considering how much water runs through an average heater every single day, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Nonetheless, a leaking water heater can be a real nuisance. There are a lot of different things that can cause leakage, but faulty pipes and inconsistent water pressure are the two most common ones. If you have problems with leaking, make sure to look up some Water Heater Leaking Info in order to find a way to fix the issue. In case you are not able to do it yourself, the safest thing to do is to consult a professional.
Rust
Unfortunately, water heaters are not immune to corrosion, especially the ones that have been in use for more than ten years. Therefore, if you have an old heater, it probably has a certain amount of rust in the tank. Rust can contaminate the water, therefore, you should open the tank at least once a year in order to see whether or not there’s rust inside. If there’s corrosion, make sure to clean it or call someone to do it for you. If you want your water heater to stay healthy and functional, you have to remove the rust on a regular basis.
Broken Thermostat
The main purpose of a water heater is to provide you and your family members with hot water every single day. If you notice that it’s not doing that, the heater might be breaking down. However, this doesn’t mean you have to replace it. Even though it sounds serious, the issue might be easily fixable. In most cases, when the water heater is not heating the water properly, the main problem is the thermostat. This is a part of the heater that can be easily repaired and fixing the issue doesn’t cost too much. Therefore, if the thermostat is causing the problem, you don’t have to buy a new water heater.
Sediment
Much like rust, sediment is also one of the most common problems older water heaters have. As you probably know, sediment can be a result of hard water or poor maintenance. Therefore, if you notice that your water is not running smoothly through the heater, there’s a good chance that sediment might be blocking its path. If that’s the case, you have to open the water heater and get rid of the sediment from the bottom of the tank. This is a rather easy thing to do, but it’s filthy work. Therefore, if you don’t want to do it yourself, you should definitely call a professional plumber.
Loud Noises From The Tank
In case you don’t know, a water heater that is properly working doesn’t produce any sounds. That said, if you hear loud noises coming from your water heater on a regular basis, there’s definitely an issue you have to fix. The loud noise might be caused by the sediment at the bottom of the tank or by faulty pipes. This is a serious issue and if it’s not fixed in time, it can cause a lot of damage to the water heater. More importantly, faulty pipes can put you and your family members in danger. Therefore, if you hear a loud noise coming from the water heater, don’t wait too long before you call a professional.
To Conclude
Having a water heater is a privilege. However, this appliance requires regular maintenance in order to work correctly. This is especially true when it comes to older water heaters. Therefore, if you have a water heater that is older than ten years, you have to watch it closely. That is the only way for you to notice some issues on time and repair the damage. The issues we talked about today are some of the most common ones you can’t afford to ignore.