It’s not always easy to tell if your water heater is just acting up because it’s overdue for maintenance or if it’s on terminal decline due to old age. Every homeowner should know how to recognize issues that warrant a professional inspection. Most problematic behavior only gets worse over time and can create more complications if left unresolved. That’s why you should always be alert for signs that your water heater is struggling and needs a professional hand.
The Water Gets Strange
Any kind of change in the smell, taste, or color of your water should compel you to step back and assess the situation. You might experience this issue immediately after working on your plumbing system or following servicing of the public water system infrastructure, but it should not happen on a regular or long-term basis. There are many potential causes for this, including deterioration or contamination of the tank on your water heater.
Showers Aren’t Steamy Enough
People who enjoy colder showers are a lot less likely to be sensitive to performance drops in their water heater. If you’re like most of us, though, every second feels like eternity when you’re waiting in a cold bathroom for the water to heat up. Water that starts taking longer and longer to get hot or never actually gets hot enough is a sign that your water heater is struggling. Depending on your system, increase in demand from more people or more overall usage could also be a major factor in hot water availability.
Pops and Bangs
Loud and sudden noises aren’t uncommon with appliances, but they shouldn’t be commonplace either. Any kind of unusual noise from a water heater is cause for concern, especially if it’s loud enough to hear through the entire house or if it’s ongoing. The safest response to any strange sound, smell, or other behavior is to turn the appliance completely off until it has been inspected by an appliance repair professional.
Poor Power Efficiency
The last few decades have seen amazing developments with operating efficiency in water heaters along with virtually all other appliances. If your system is more than 15 years old, then chances are it’s not nearly as efficient as it could be. While you have to balance it against the initial cost of installation, upgrading to a smarter and more efficient unit can yield significant long-term savings on utility bills and reduce your environmental impact.
Get It Inspected and Be Safe
Whether it’s leaking water, failing to get hot, or making weird noises during the night, you don’t have to face water heater problems alone. Drain Surgeon is proud to serve our community in Augusta, GA, so call us today for all your water heater service needs, including inspections, maintenance, installations, and repairs.
