And how does replacing the tank benefit me?
Excellent questions – and luckily, we have the answers!
There are five pretty good ways to know if your water heater needs replacing:
Age: The average life expectancy of a water heater is between 8 and 12 years. If yours falls within that, or is older, you can’t be sure it’s going to work reliably for much longer. Like many other appliances, as water heaters age, they become less efficient and will eventually give out.
Leaks: A leak is a sure sign that your water heater needs to be replaced. Once it starts leaking, a repair will not suffice.
Loud noises: If the tank is louder than normal, or you hear some odd sounds coming from it, that means that there’s sediment building up on the tank. Too much sediment will eventually lead to a leak, so at that point replacement is better.
Corrosion: Once your tank starts to suffer from corrosion, there’s nothing that can be done to repair it.
Family size: This seems like a strange thing to think about when referring to water heater replacement, but it’s important. If your family has grown or decreased since you last purchased a water heater, or since you moved in, you might need a new one that best fits your needs. For example, if you once had five people in the home all taking showers before 8:00AM, and now you only have two or three, you would be better off with a smaller unit.
If you are having any of these issues, you don’t really have a choice but to replace it. However, it’s still good to know what you will gain from replacing your water heater.
