Determining When to Replace Your Hot Water Heater

The easiest way to know when it is time to replace your hot water heater is when that nice warm bath becomes an icy chamber and you become trapped in your own bathroom with soap in your hair and eyes. Of course, this is a rather inconvenient method, but it beats a mini flood in your basement. Come to think of it, both of these options are rather pestiferous and ultimate do not answer the question of whether to replace or repair your water heater.

There are two key factors to discern an answer this this question.

The first is to determine the age of your water heater. Even if you were not residing in this home at the time of the water heater installation, you can still figure out the age of your heater by checking the date codes on the unit itself. This may not provide you with the date, but you can refer this code to an expert who will be able to help you. The life cycle of a conventional storage-tank water heater is about 10-13 years. If your heater is approaching its end date, it is time to replace it especially considering newer models are much more energy efficient and can save up to $700 on your energy bill over the life of the unit.

The next factor is to check the condition of your unit and investigate what is causing it to breakdown. Fortunately, a conventional water heater only contains a few moving parts so this research phase can be narrowed down to the following points:

• If it is a gas water heater, is the pilot light flickering out?
• If it is an electric water heater, Is the circuit breaker constantly tripping?
• Is the burner or heating element cold when in use?
• Is the thermostat working properly?
• Does the valve to control the unit stick?
• If it is leaking, where is it leaking and what is the condition of the area of the leak?

Assuming the unit is not nearing its life expectancy, checking the items above will help determine if the damage to the water heater is a repairable expense or if it needs to be replaced altogether. If it is just one of the parts from the list above that is malfunctioning, a plumber could probably come out and repair the unit for $150 to $300.

Of course, if you notice heavy rusting or corrosion on the unit, repair is probably not going to be an option and you will need to replace your unit.
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Guest post is provided by Payless Water Heaters. If you are looking for a professional source to buy water heaters at a reasonable price, contact us at Paylesswaterheaters.com.