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Knowing When Water Heater Replacement Is Required | Myrtle Beach, SC
When all goes well, the water heater is nowhere near the list of concerns for homeowners. A good water heater simply provides hot water throughout the house at all times, without any need for concern or action on the part of the family. However, water heaters will age just like any appliance or part of the home, and over time, you’re going to need to consider water heater replacement to keep hot water flowing properly.
If you’ve been in your home for several years now and have never replaced your water heater, it might be time to consider doing exactly that. Here are a few times you should really replace the water heater in your Myrtle Beach, SC home!
Your Water Bills Have Increased
Unexplained increases in your water bill are almost always a sign that there’s some kind of problem with your plumbing system. In some cases, it might very well be from your water heater, and that’s usually a sign that you need to either think about repairs or full replacement. In the case of the water heater, there are a couple of factors that can trigger the need for water heater replacement.
One is a problem with the system itself. If there’s been a blockage in the water storage tank, you’re likely going to see an increase in your bills because the system is working harder to produce the same amount of hot water. In those cases, you’re likely going to have to decide right away if it’s worth making repairs or replacing the system entirely.
The other issue is that your water heating system just might not be efficient enough to do the job properly anymore. Over time, technology is constantly advancing, and new improvements are always being made with plumbing and water heating elements. Newer, more efficient water heating units and tankless water heaters are a great way to lower your energy bills while getting the same amount of hot water into the home. If you’ve been seeing high water bills for a while now, it’s time to consider a water heater replacement for your home.
Your Hot Water Is Coming in Cloudy
Your water comes out of the faucet at the right temperature because of the heating elements from your water heater. When you turn on your hot water, the water that comes out is either heated in your tankless heater or comes out of the storage tank at the appropriate temperature for your use.
That’s why cloudy water from your hot water only is a sign that your water heating unit isn’t functioning the way that it should. Your cold water doesn’t go through your water heater at your Myrtle Beach, SC home, so there might be times when your cold water comes in clear and your hot water looks rust-colored or cloudy. That’s a sign that there’s an issue with the water heater, and it’s probably because of sediments from the system. If you have a traditional water heating tank, you’re going to have sediment buildup over time because the water inside the tank causes the system to slowly break down and rust.
That’s because your water heater constantly fills the tank whenever you use the hot water at your Myrtle Beach, SC home. Your system doesn’t have any way to know if you’re going to be using hot water or not, so it keeps filling the tank when needed so that it can provide hot water at a minute’s notice. But all of that storage leads to metal rusting, which can lead to breakdowns. In many cases, the solution becomes water heater replacement, as a rusted tank isn’t something easily repaired.
Your System Is Nearing Its Lifespan
Efficiency is only one reason to replace your water heater after a certain age. The aforementioned problems with the storage tank represent another major reason why water heater replacement is required every 8 to 12 years. After that time, it’s only a matter of time before something goes seriously wrong simply because of the wear and tear on your water heater.
Luckily, this is an area where you can be proactive and avoid a serious problem with your system by planning to replace the water heater at the eight-year mark. The best thing that you can do is start saving around this time so that when you run into a problem for the first time, you can simply opt for water heater replacement rather than waste time and money on a repair that’s only going to delay the inevitable. If you’ve already got the funds to replace the water heater, you’ll be ready at the first sign of a problem.
Your Water Heater Is Making Odd Noises
Weird noises are never a good sign when it comes to your plumbing system. When it’s coming specifically from your water heater, you know that you’ve got an issue to address. Usually, this is a sign of blockages because of sediment buildup at the base of the tank. This can be cleared away instead of you opting for water heater replacement, but you’ll have to decide whether the cost and efforts are worth a repair.
As usual, this depends on your budget and the age of your system as it is. If your system is fairly new and you don’t really want to consider water heater replacement yet, you can probably get by with a repair from a qualified plumbing expert. But if your system is already on the back half of its lifespan, it’s probably a good idea to replace the entire thing right now rather than spend money on a short-term fix.
At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Myrtle Beach, we’re proud to help homeowners in the Palmetto State avoid serious problems with their water heaters and other parts of their plumbing systems. If you’re experiencing any of these issues and want to consider water heater replacement, contact our team for assistance. We’ll make sure the job’s done on time!