Broken Water Heater? Learn When to Upgrade or Repair Your Water Heater at Home

One of the worst things that happens when your water heater breaks. Not only can this cost you a ton in unsightly water utility bills, but it can also cause a lot of problem, and even contamination of your water system. You have to realize that after a certain amount of time, the minerals that are in the water flowing through your water heater can cause it to eventually deteriorate.

Sometimes, electrical parts can malfunction, you may have a short circuit which may leave your water heater leaking. When this happens, you’re probably better off getting a new and updated water heater. In this guide, we’ll tell you when the best time is to get a new water heater, and how to choose the right one for your home.

The Lifetime of a Water Heater

If you’ve had a water heater for about 10 years, you may want to start looking into getting a new one. They aren’t meant to last forever, and after that amount of time, there could be all kinds of sediment actually embedded into it, or it could be starting to rust and wear internally. If you don’t have any other leaks in your home, and you start having high water bills, you may want to inspect your water heater as the culprit.

Once the inner tank is compromised, sometimes water can leak into the surrounding insulation. You’ll know if it’s leaking internally just by seeing if there’s water leaking from the bottom usually. Just make sure that an electrical problem isn’t the cause.

What Type of Water Heater to Install

When you need your water heater replaced, you can call a licensed plumber to come in and repair it for you for a very decent price, as long as they’re insured and licensed. This can give you some insight and also teach you things you may need to know in the future. A licensed plumber can even come in and tell you whether or not you’ll need their expertise. When choosing a water heater to install, you want to pick one that is going to benefit your household size, as well as be the most cost-effective solution for your home.

If you can afford it in the short-term, you may want to opt into getting a tankless water heater that can give you higher amounts of energy efficiency and be more cost-effective over time. When choosing a standard water heater, consider things like how many gallons it holds, how much the water heat per hour, the width and height of the water heater, and always look at the energy efficiency rating as well. A good water heater will tell you the average estimated annual cost of operation per year on the sticker.

Conclusion

Most commonly, you’ll want to get ahold of a plumber anytime you see it leaking. However, if it’s something you can fix pretty easily, don’t take offense if a plumber tells you how to fix it rather than doing it themselves. A lot of times, they’re just offering to save you the money and hassle of having to pay for extra labor of something you could do. Otherwise, listen to their consultation and do everything you can to get your water heater repaired or replaced.

Resources:

Coreplumbingsd.com/san-diego-water-heaters/