Water heaters are critical plumbing installations that require constant care and maintenance to ensure their functionality and to enhance their durability. The home water heater furnishes all your hot water needs, which includes showering, cleaning dishes, washing, and any other use. That is why you cannot afford to have a faulty water heater in your home especially during the cold season. One of the most effective ways of ensuring that your water heater is always in good working condition is to conduct regular inspections and to ensure proper maintenance of the system. You can hire a professional plumber who services San Diego gas boilers and water heaters to thoroughly inspect your water heater on a regular basis in order to ensure that it’s in good condition. You should implement timely repairs on any faults in your home water heater. You should also implement all maintenance procedures as recommended by your local plumber. In addition to paying for regular professional inspections for your home water heater, you should also inspect the unit on your own from time to time. When inspecting your home water heater, you should always look for the following signs because these are clear indications that your water heating system requires instant repairs or full replacement.
Water Heating Issues
If you start noticing various water heating problems and issues, then its time to call your local plumber for a professional diagnosis and solution. Some common water heating problems that could indicate that your water heater is broken is slow heating time. You can easily note the time it takes to have your hot water ready. If you start noticing a significant lag in the time it takes to heat water by the water heating system, then this means that there is a problem with the heating element or with other connections and hence you need your local plumber to check it out. Another common water heating problem could be with the temperature of the heated water. If your home water heater is only producing warm or lukewarm water instead of hot water, then this necessitates instant inspection and repairs or even a full replacement.
Leaking
When inspecting your home water heater, you should always be on the lookout for leaks. Water heaters leak in various places with the most commonly affected being the hot water storage tank. You can tell there is a leak in the tank when the amount of hot water supplied is less than expected. The water supply and drainage pipes could also be leaking. All these leak indications necessitate an instant call to your local plumber for a professional fix.
Rusty Water
If your hot water heater starts producing rusty or rusty-looking hot water, then you need to consult a professional plumber regarding this problem. Rust in your hot water indicates corrosion. This means the anode rod in your hot water tank requires replacing. It could also mean that your tank is severely eroded and hence you need to replace the whole thing.
Strange Noises
Another indication that your hot water heater requires repairs or replacement is when it starts producing strange noises when turned on. If you notice any anomaly in its humming noise, call a professional plumber for assistance.
Old Age
When your water heater hits its warranty limit, you need a replacement. This is 10 years for storage water heaters and about 20 years for tankless water heaters.