This question has a number of answers. Check below for what to watch out for in helping you to know just when it’s the right time to change your water heater, before it’s too late.
The Heater is Leaking, But Where?
Often, the sign that the hot water tank needs to be replaced is due to leaking. If your tank is at least six years old and has a leak somewhere that you just cannot find, it just may be that it has degraded to the point where it is leaking through a sidewall seam, a welded joint, or that a steel thread has rusted through. These problems are beyond repair, so in this kind of case, get a plumber in and your tank replaced.
Water just isn’t as Hot Anymore
If you’re having to increase the temperature setting on your gas valve or increasing the thermostat setting on the electric tank, you should be aware that your tank is getting to the end of its lifespan. Corrosion on the inside of your tank has decayed the dip tube, coated the electric elements, or has over-worked the gas valve. It’s time to get professional and affordable plumbing services in Southampton in to give the whole system a look over. An expert can check the whole system and give you advice on what is the best thing to do.
Drain Valve is opened, but there’s No Water
Draining your hot water tank at least once a year to remove any sediment that may have settled on the bottom of your tank, is always a good idea. Many people forget or neglect to do this easy plumbing job. Of all the many tanks that get replaced, 1 in 5 are so filled up with sediment that the water has to be pumped out of the top of the tank.
No Sentiment for Sediment
If a hot water tank has developed a layer of sediment on the bottom, it will rapidly deteriorate the bottom part of the tank. That will in turn cause the flame to burn for a much longer amount of time, because the sediment acts like a barrier between the flame and the water that’s being heated. This is certainly both inefficient and harmful to the bottom of the tank. If you’ve ever heard stories about the “bottom falling out” of somebody’s water heater (and water going everywhere), sediment is usually the culprit.
Just Replace
If you open the drain valve, and no water, you should try pumping the water out from the top of the tank and then try vacuuming the sludge out. (With the proper equipment) But being realistic, your tank has probably deteriorated enough that it would just be a waste of time and money. You simply should replace your water heater and the sooner the better!
Hot Water, what would we do without it?