Depending on the style of house you own, there is a round cylinder appliance in either your basement or first-floor utility closest responsible for ensuring that you always have access to hot water in your home. You probably don’t think much about this tank, known formally as a hot water heater. In fact, most homeowners forget about their water heater, that is until it stops working. When your hot water breaks and you need to call for weather heater repair in Las Vegas, NV suddenly it will be the only thing you think about. It only takes one cold shower to wake up to the importance of that cylinder thing hidden out of sight and out of mind.
However, while you may not have noticed, your water heater has probably been giving you signs that it is time for water heater repair. If you had noticed a few of these signs you may have been able to avoid the need for emergency water heater repair. Whether or not you are stuck in an emergency situation now, it may be a good idea to review some of the top warning signs that your tank needs looked at. Proper hot water heater and water heater repair is the best way to extend the life of this major home appliance and ensure that you never come home to a burst tank or wake up to a cold shower. Here are a few of the major signs that it is time to call in a Las Vegas, NV plumber to take a look at your water heater.
Age of Your Water Heater
The actual age of your hot water heater can tell you a lot about your system and whether it is time to replace your system instead of paying for any additional water heater repair. Water heaters can last anywhere from 10 to 15 years depending on the model. Some lucky homeowners will find that their water heater will make it to 20 years. However, just because a water heater can make it that long does not mean that it should. If you find that you are paying for water heater repair every several months then it may be a sign that it is time to replace your hot water tank. Once your tank reaches a certain age you are just throwing. money away if you know you will need to replace the entire unit within the next few years.
Keep in mind that even if your system appears to be functioning well you don’t really know how things are looking inside. There may be a large amount of sediment or even rust building up which means that you may come home to a burst tank one of these days. It’s better to skip the water damage and proactively replace an old water heater.
Low Hot Water Volume
Have you noticed lately when you take a shower or bath that you run out of hot water a lot quicker than you used to? If your hot water is running out before you can finish tasks that you have always completed without an issue then it is a sign that you need to call a Las Vegas plumber and inquire about water heater repair. There are dozens of reasons why you may be running out of hot water, and almost every single one will point back to your water heater. From a buildup of sediment to an underperforming heating element, the situation is not going to get any better until someone takes a look.
Rising Energy Bills
If you are noticing that your energy bills are rising without any reason, your hot water heater may actually be to blame. Believe it or not, most of the heating energy in your home stems from the water heater. Especially given the fact that most Las Vegas homes do not need to use their heating systems. If your hot water heater is not working at peak efficiency then it’s likely drawing much more energy than it needs. Luckily, you can easily fix this situation by having a water heater repair technician come into your home and take a look. Sometimes a simple repair or fine-tuning is all that is necessary to get your water heater back into shape and lower your energy bills. In that case, paying a little for repair service will pay off in the long run.
Signs of Corrosion
You should never see corrosion anywhere on your water heater tank unless it happens to be a couple of decades old. If you do see corrosion this is a sign that something is seriously wrong. In most cases, corrosion cannot be fixed and you will be forced to buy a new model, however, failure to act will mean that your tank may explode or your water may start to get discolored and rusty.
Rusty Color in Your Hot Water
On that same topic, your hot water should never be colored. If you start to see a reddish hue or a rusty color in your hot water then it’s a sign your water heater tank is rusting from the inside out. While the outside may look fine, this is a clear sign that the inside is not. Even if you call for water heater repair you are most likely looking at replacement at this point. You still want to call a plumber however because the installation of a new appliance should always be done by a trained technician to ensure that it is done right. Improperly installed water heaters are actually the leading reason why water heaters don’t last as long as they should.
Craig’s Plumbing is an experienced plumbing system that has helped hundreds of local customers with their water heaters. Whether you think you need water heater repair or need help with a new water heater installation we are the right plumber for you. Give us a call today and we will come out and assess the situation and offer you our professional recommendations.
