The water heater in most homes is placed in the garage or in a basement. It is a large tank that is filled full of water and is attached to some kind of heating element. That majority of the time that is a gas line that has a pilot light. The light will ignite a burner that will heat all the water in the tank to a desired temperature that is set by you. Your water heater is used each time you use any water that is warmer than the water that would naturally come out of the hose outside. This is when you are taking a shower, washing your hands, cleaning your dishes and even running your washing machine to clean clothes. When you don’t have that warm water, it can make all these tasks either not work as well or be quite uncomfortable. There are ways you can tell that a water heater is going to need to be replaced and it is a good idea to do it before it malfunctions completely. When the water heater fails all together, many times the tank will drain and all the water spills all over the area of the heater is placed. When this happens not only are you out of hot water but you are always going to have to deal with water damage. The damage will be substantial and can invade a large area.
Orsack Plumbing Company has a list of signs that could tell you it is time to replace your water heater.
The Water Heater Is Not Heating: This is a sure sign that your water heater has stopped working. If you have checked the gas line and made sure that the pilot light it on and the water is still not heating; your water heater could be broken. The water should last depending on the size of the tank that you have and should heat up to quite a high temperature. If you start to notice that it is not staying hot long or at all, you want to call a plumber to have it replaced.
The Water Heater Is Making Hissing, Squeaking & Rumbling Noises: The water heater really should not be making any noise except a slight noise when the light ignites under the unit. You may hear a click or a swishing sound when the gas turns on and the pilot light ignites the main burner. If you hear loud banging, squeaking, hissing or any other noises while the water heater is running or even when it is resting you may need to replace the water heater.
Is Your Water Heater 10 Years or Older?: Most water heaters are made to last about 10 years and if you have not checked the date on yours recently, it is a good idea. If you see that you are at about the 10 year mark or past it you may want to replace your water heater before it goes out and causes a serious amount of damage to your home or basement.
