It is easy to not know when your water heater is going to fail but there are signs that can be watched out for! The disruption and the damage that a failed water heater can cause can easily be avoided when you know these signs and can take action quickly to provide the repair or replacement services you need.
How Old is the Water Heater?
The age of a water heater can be found by finding the serial number that is located on the manufacturer's sticker which is typically located on the upper part of the water heater. The serial number has which date that the particular water heater was manufactured.
The first letter of the serial number is for the month. Whichever number that letter comes in the alphabet is the number month so for example, if it is an F then that is the sixth letter in the alphabet and June is the sixth month, so it was manufactured in June. The next two digits in the serial number represent the year, so if the numbers are 05 then it was manufactured in 2005.
Typically, if a water heater is older than 10 years old it should most likely be replaced.
Rusty Water
If the water coming from the hot side piping from the water heater is rusty, typically this signals that the inside of the water heater is rusting and may start leaking soon. The best way to determine the source of the rust is by draining the water from the water heater using large buckets. As you continue to do so, you’ll notice the discolored water draining. It could mean there are added sediments as well, and draining can help clean the tank out.
Noise and Rumbling
As water heaters age, they start to build up sediment on the bottom of the tank. When it starts to build up too much, banging sounds or rumbling will start to come from the water heater as it starts to heat up. This tells you that it is about time to replace the water heater.
Obviously, if the water heater is leaking all over, this is a good sign to replace it as well. Otherwise, continue to look out for these signs that it is time to replace your water heater to avoid a big mess! Our team at Mr. Rooter of Denver & Northern Colorado can help. Our Denver plumbers will come out and guide you through the inspection process and provide a replacement if necessary.
Call us today to schedule your service.