Your water heater could be begging out for some attention from you. If your water heater could talk, it would likely be a tirade full of complaints. Most homeowners don’t think about how much pressure is placed on one home appliance to provide comfort and convenience to an entire home. Your water heater may not seem like an appliance that needs to be inspected or tuned-up, but unless you want to purchase a new water heater more frequently than necessary, you should consider taking care of your current system. If your water heater is exhibiting any of the following signs, you could be headed for a system failure.
Key Signs Your Water Heating Could Be Failing
Homeowners are surprised by how many household appliances require preventative maintenance and tune-ups. We understand the confusion and frustration. It’s not like we tune-up our microwaves or toaster ovens, and we use those multiple times per day! But, when you really sit and think about it, consider how many times you turn on a faucet in your home. Think about how many loads of laundry you wash. How many times do you turn on the dishwasher every day? The point is we use our whole-home appliances more often than we realize. Your large home appliances, like your water heater, take a beating, and they keep working day in and day out.
Limited or Reduced Hot Water: Is your water heater constantly giving you lukewarm instead of hot water? If so, you could simply have an issue with your temperature controls. But, if your water heater isn’t warming your water, and you have to wait long periods for the water to heat when turning on the tap, then together, these signs spell trouble. A regular lack of hot water from your heater could mean there are mineral deposits in your storage tank. The average tank water heater stores between 25 and 50 gallons of water, so you shouldn’t have a consistent lack of hot water. Hot water shortages are typically the result of minerals in your water heater being deposited in the stored water and heated.
Tank fractures and cracks compromise the pressure of your tank, and the boiling water inside will create a dangerous situation for your home and the area surrounding your water heater. Many home floods and water damage claims are due to water heater rupture.
Leaky Storage Tank: When you inspect your water heater, do you see pooling water around the tank and underneath? Water leaking from your storage tank is a sign of corrosion and could mean you have cracks in your tank. This is a serious problem as it could lead to a tank explosion and flood. You don’t want to have your home ruined by an exploded water heater.
A plumber can come in and flush out your water heater, but if the problem persists, then you may be headed for a new system purchase. You can continue to use your water heater after it’s flushed, but you should be careful! It could still have the same problem, and the noises can continue and eventually cause your storage tank to crack.
Unclear Water: Cloudy water coming from your water heater is a sign of mineral deposits in your tank. The water in your tank can also take on a reddish or orange hue if your tank or pipes are becoming rusty. While cloudy and colored water is typically safe to drink, it can leave a metallic taste in your mouth and discolor your laundry. Just because unclear water is generally considered safe, when water is exhibiting signs of rust or heavy metals, you should call a plumber for an inspection to be safe.
Over time, mineral deposits settle in the bottom of your storage tank and block access to the burner that warms your water. If the heat can’t reach your water, then it can’t warm it! If you are having your water heater inspected regularly, you will be able to eliminate this issue before it becomes a problem.
Weird Noises and Rumblings: If your water heater has strange sounds ranging from popping noises to rumbles, you may be headed for a system failure. When your water heater starts rattling, creaking, and popping, it could be a sign you are dealing with hard water. Minerals deposited from your water supply interact and form air pockets as the water boils when heated in your storage tank. This noise is not a temporary problem. It will only become worse, and you will need to have your water heater inspected by a professional to check for mineral deposits.
The Value of Preventative Water Heater Maintenance
Without regular maintenance, how would you even know your water heater is starting to fail? You could be putting untold strain on your water heater without knowing. Serious water heater issues like explosions are rare, but wouldn’t you like to know if your system is on the verge of failing or building up unsafe amounts of pressure inside the tank?
Nothing can take the place of regularly scheduled preventative maintenance, but we can help you spot the signs your water heater is in distress before you have a serious problem on your hands. A plumbing professional can solve this problem for you by scheduling an annual system flushing. You will notice that if you live in an area with particularly hard water, you will need to have your water heater flushed more often. The more sediment accumulates in your system, the more dangerous it becomes. It can develop stress problems and eventually fail or explode.
Why Customers Choose Dovis Plumbing
At Dovis Plumbing, we have more than a decade of experience repairing, installing, and maintaining your plumbing systems. There isn’t a problem too big or too small for our plumbing professionals to handle. We are committed to providing customers with timely and thorough plumbing services, which has made us a service leader in the area.
When you call the professionals from Dovis Plumbing, you can expect:
- Clean, Uniformed Technicians
- Fully Stocked Vans Equipped for Every Situation
- Innovative, Industry-Leading Software
If you suspect your tank is compromised, you should call a local plumbing professional, like the team at Dovis Plumbing. A professional plumber can inspect your water heater and advise you regarding the next steps you should take.
Call the plumbing professionals from Dovis Plumbing if you are worried about your water heater. We can be reached online 24/7, or you can contact us at (954) 516-1078 to schedule an appointment.