All of us take running hot water for granted. From showering to cleaning dishes to laundry, our water heater provides for many of our daily tasks. We don’t give it a thought – until it’s not there. While your water heater may appear to be performing, failure is always a terrible inconvenience and catastrophic mess!
4 Signs Your Water Heater is About to Fail.
Be alert for these indicators your water heater is about to fail.
- Age. If your water heater is more than 8-years old, you’re on borrowed time. To find the age, look for the serial number on the manufacturer’s sticker. The first letter indicates the MONTH the water heater was manufactured.
For example, the letter B is the second letter of the alphabet and represents the second month, February. The next two digits indicate the YEAR code. For example, 08 would indicate it was made in 2008. You’re due for a replacement!
- Rusty Water. If you discover rusty water from the hot faucets in your home, it can be a sign the inside of the water heater is rusting and is likely to begin leaking soon. You’re overdue!
- Rumbling. As water heaters age, sediment builds up and eventually hardens. When this happens, you can often hear rumbling or a banging sound from the water heater. It’s close to the end of its life.
- Drips and Wetness. If you notice moisture or water drips around your heater, it’s a sign there may be a fracture and leaking from the tank. A catastrophic mess may be just around the corner!
Be proactive. Checking for these indicators will help ensure there’s still hot water available if you’re the last in the morning stampede to your bathroom.
Choosing Your Next Water Heater
Today’s water heaters are far superior to their predecessors. They’re fine-tuned, corrosion-resistant, and designed with controls and sensors to maximize efficiency. Efficiency makes heated water available more quickly and requiring less energy (thereby lowering utility bills). Choosing the right water heater can be complicated. The following may help you evaluate alternatives.
3 General Types of Water Heaters
Conventional Storage Tanks. Traditional 50-gallon water tanks have been around for decades. These versatile appliances are usually powered by natural gas. They are equipped with a thermostat that regulates the water temperature inside the tank. Whenever the temperature varies from the designated setting, the heater kicks into action to return the temperature to the desired level. It’s also equipped with safety valves to prevent overheating and release excess pressure. The cost of these water heaters varies widely and annual energy costs will typically be approximately $450.
Tankless Water Heaters. These devices use heating coils to deliver hot water on-demand. Since water is heated only as it is needed, there is no need for an oversized tank. This saves energy and costs in heating a large volume of water. These can be powered by electricity or natural gas; a gas-powered unit requires additional ventilation and the electric-powered unit may require electrical upgrades. The cost of these water heaters also ranges widely but the average annual energy cost is only about $250.
Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heaters. These sophisticated devices combine the energy efficiency of tankless with the storage supply of traditional tanks. A heat pump mounted on top of the tank efficiently feeds the tank through an electronic compressor. It heats water at 60% greater efficiency resulting in annual energy costs of around $150.
We Help Homeowners
Flader Plumbing and Heating is uniquely suited to assist you in determining the solution that best fits your home and family’s needs. We’ve been serving your neighbors and our community for over 100 years and 4 generations.
The Flader Difference
Only Flader Plumbing and Heating delivers:
• The most responsive service – 24-hours/7-days a week.
• Personal attention from certified and licensed technicians.
• Only the most dependable equipment and parts.
• Money-saving Maintenance Agreements.
• 100% satisfaction guaranteed.
Reliability
Flader Plumbing and Heating only recommend equipment, models, and brands proven to have the fewest problems and service calls.
We specialize in:
Comprehensive Services
Whether you’re replacing your water heater, furnace or central air conditioning, adding a humidifier or clean air system, or cleaning and servicing your air quality system or sump-pump, we are knowledgeable and expert in delivering the service you need.
Our professional technicians arrive on-time, listen, answer your questions, recommend the right solution, and deliver as promised. Flader technicians average 15-years of experience and are EPA certified.
Expert service, quality parts, and satisfaction guaranteed. That’s the combination you deserve. Don’t compromise. Call us at 847-491-6980.
