4 Reasons to Replace Your Water Heater Before it Fails

Is your water heater over 10 years old? Is it starting to show signs that it might fail before long? Here’s why you should look into getting a replacement now before the appliance breaks down completely.

Give Yourself Time to Research Replacement Options

Perhaps you have had an electric storage water heater all your life. If your current unit breaks down, you will undoubtedly replace it with a similar model. However, natural gas or solar power might be the preferred fuel source in your situation. Plus, tankless technology could save you significantly on your water heating costs.

If your water heater fails suddenly, you won’t have time to research these other options that may improve performance and efficiency for the next 10 to 20 years. That’s why we recommend a preemptive replacement if your water heater is showing signs of wearing out.

Avoid an Inconvenient Emergency Replacement

You may want to squeeze every last drop of hot water out of your water heater before you replace it, but waiting until it breaks down entirely could be incredibly inconvenient. After all, no one wants to take cold showers for a day or two while waiting for a new water heater to be delivered and installed. Alternatively, planning out the replacement allows for a quick, convenient installation performed on your schedule.

Prevent Water Damage

Sometimes, water heaters go out with a fizzle—they simply stop working one day. However, some water heaters fail catastrophically when water bursts from the confines of the tank and floods the basement, garage, or utility room where the water heater sits.

You can avoid this disaster by keeping up with water heater maintenance over the years. A sacrificial anode rod within the tank, which is designed to attract corrosive compounds before they attack the water heater itself, must be replaced every few years once it rusts through. In addition to protecting your water heater with this important maintenance step, plan on replacing the tank before it fails completely.

Lower Your Utility Bills

Purchasing a new water heater is an investment, but if you make the right choice, it will begin paying you back immediately in lower utility costs. After all, water heating is the second-largest utility expense after space heating and cooling, so it makes sense to invest in a high-efficiency model.

Signs that You Should Replace Your Water Heater Soon

You know it’s time to start browsing for water heater replacement options if you notice these signs of imminent failure:

• No hot water
• Odd sounds coming from the water heater
• Red or brown water pouring from the tap
• Visible corrosion on the water heater tank
• Puddles of water around the tank

If you see these signs, don’t wait for your water heater to fail catastrophically! The trained experts at Bob Hoegler Plumbing will safely remove your old unit and carefully install a new one. Call us at 732-521-0133 today to discuss your water heater replacement options.