Age of The Water Heater
Knowing your water heater’s age is important as it helps in giving an idea if you should be replacing it. Usually, the life expectancy of most heaters is between 8 to 12 years. Hence, you should start considering a replacement if it’s been over 10 years since you installed your heater. Closely inspect the water heater and stay prepared to replace it once you see issues.

How To Check The Age of A Water Heater?
In case, you are not sure about how old is your water heater, then some ways can help in figuring that out for you. Checking its serial number provides a code such as 1148J004146. Here 11 – depicts when it was manufactured, while the next two digits i.e. 48 indicates the week, 004 might mean it was manufactured in 2004. But this is not the same for every product of the manufacturer.

Also, the manufacturing year might not mean that it has been installed in the same year. Sometimes a product could have been installed 1-2 years after it was manufactured. Hence, you should be considering the actual installation date instead of the manufacturing date to determine its age. In this case, the date of installation can be checked by looking at the inspection date that is the time when it was 1st switched on.

Check For Leaks
The metal expands and contracts when heated and might create a leakage. Leakage in water heaters is usually around the base that shows signs of problems that have to be addressed. If you notice your water leaking from this area, you should immediately consult an expert to fix the issue. If the product is under warranty, call the manufacturer and ask them for a replacement.

Water Remains Cold or Remains Luke Warm Upon Heating
If the water remains cold or you get Luke warm water after heating, it indicates that there is something wrong with your water heater. When experiencing such an issue, you should ensure you inspect closely and know the reason.

The service agents of the manufacturer or a professional plumber will be able to inspect the issue. Common issues include problems with the inner heating element of the thermostat. Both these parts often malfunction over time.

The reason may also be a broken dip tube inside the tank. In this case, the hot water flowing out might be diluted with the incoming cold water and be the reason. Such issues may be repaired but if you have been using the water heater for more than 10 years, it’s better to replace the entire product than trying to fix such minor issues.

Heating Leads to A Rumbling Sound or Loud Noises
Sediments tend to build at the tank’s bottom over the years. As your heater ages and the sediments get heated as well as reheated, it tends to become harder. They produce a popping sound after the burner ignites and some might even produce a rumbling sound. Such indications reflect that the heater should be replaced.

Although the heater does its jobs with sediments at the bottom, they become less efficient and use more electricity or gas to heat the water. While the water heater tries to heat the water tank through the layer of sediment, it reduces heat transfer from gas that burns inside the tank. Sediments further lead to cracks inside the tank and may cause the metal to become more brittle and increase the chance of developing a crack. Sediments may even crack the glass lining on the inside. Hence always observe if you hear loud noises whenever you turn on the water heater.

Corrosion and Rust
Mostly made of steel, water heaters are prone to rust. Checking for rust and corrosion through the temperature or pressure relief valve or inlet and outlet connections can help you locate corrosion or rust. Rust might be coming from hot water and there isn’t a way to repair it if it starts corroding or rusting. Thus, if you see such developments, it’s time to replace the water heater.

Water heaters are an important appliance for any house and regular maintenance is needed to ensure its usable for years. They are also an important element to replace in home remodeling projects. In case you are looking for an expert to remodel your house and give it a new look as a resident of Tampa, FL contact Hybrid Construction. They are an experienced professional company that has been serving customers for several years.

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