Residential Water Heater Repair & Replacement Services in Warwick, RI

Finding a puddle of water around your water heater can be alarming. Water heaters are necessary, but they can be volatile if they fail in specific ways. When a water heater’s pressure release valve becomes damaged, it can even explode, although that has become increasingly rare with modern units. Even when you don’t have a catastrophic danger like an explosion, leaking water heaters can flood your home, causing significant long-term property damage.

The moment you find a pool of water around your water heater, you need to stop the leak as quickly as possible. In order to stop an active leak, you should cut the supply of water to your water heater. First, you should turn off the gas control, then find the water supply line and turn the handle or knob that controls the flow of water from your plumbing system into the tank. This will prevent the leak from continuing indefinitely. However, you will still need to have a professional inspect your unit to find the source of the leak and repair it.

The time it takes for a water heater to heat up will vary depending on many factors, such as the tank size and the type of water heater. Usually, it will take between 30 and 80 minutes. Some types of water heaters will produce hot water quicker than others. Gas water heaters tend to warm up quicker than electric units. If hot water supply is a major concern for you, you might want to consider a tankless unit. These produce hot water on demand and never require you to wait for them to become warm.

Most of the time, a water heater will make a cracking or popping sound when there is a build-up of sediment within the tank. This is an especially common problem for homes with hard water. Minerals in the water accumulate on the burners. Then, when hot water begins to bubble, it penetrates this layer, which makes the noise you are noticing. Often, the solution is simply to perform routine flushing of the tank. In some cases, the inside may have so much sediment that it is best to replace the entire tank.

Replacing a water heater is a highly personalized decision, and there’s no single rule that will apply to everyone. On average, water heaters will last for about 6 to 10 years. Some water heaters may last longer than that, and some may fail earlier. When you are thinking about replacing your water heater, you should also consider the speed of innovation. Every year, units become better and more efficient. So, you may want to upgrade early simply to increase your unit’s performance.

Replacing your old water heater is an investment, and it can cost a significant amount of money. The exact cost will vary depending on several factors, such as the type of unit, installation location, and more. It’s not unusual for a replacement project to cost more than $1,000, though. At Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Rhode Island, we are dedicated to upfront pricing. So, you can count on us to explain the costs to you ahead of time.