If you heat water with a gas or electric powered storage-tank water heater, once thing you can be sure of – eventually it’s going to fail. You’ll likely be looking for a new water heater in 10 years. And the fact that a failing water heater can create quite a mess and damage your home makes it all the more important to know the main signs of a failing water heater.

Signs You Need a New Water Heater

Age — If you’re not sure of your water heater’s age, there’s a way to find out. Find the serial number, and it will contain the date of manufacture. For example, if the serial number is B041063478, pay attention to the first letter and first two numbers (B04). B is the second letter of the alphabet, representing the second month of the year (February). The two numbers represent the year. In this case, the water heater was manufactured in February 2004, and probably is past time for replacement. With a water heater close to the end of its service life, either replace it before it fails, or monitor it closely so you can replace it before it damages your home.

Rusty water — If water coming from your hot-water faucets appears orange or rusty, this may signal the water heater is rusting on the inside, a sure sign of impending failure. To check that the rusty water isn’t a result of deteriorating pipes, drain hot water into three or four 5-gallon buckets. If the water is still rusty after two or three buckets, the problem is your water heater.

Water appearing under or near the water heater — Unless there’s another source for this water, such as pipes or fittings connected to the appliance, it likely is coming from the bottom of the water heater. These leaks usually get worse as time passes, and in an older water heater mean the tank is rusting out and not far from complete failure.

To talk with a trusted technician about a new water heater for your Peachtree City, Fayetteville, Newnan or Sharpsburg area home, please contact us at Powers Heating & Air.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 770-487-2040.

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