Water Heater Repair Vs. Replacement

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One of the questions nosotros get on a regular basis when we are onsite for a water heater repair concerns whether nosotros will be repairing the water heater or if it will need replacing. However, it'southward not so unproblematic since we need to await at a number of factors earlier we can decide what may need to be washed. First, we demand to know a little bit virtually the backstory of the h2o heater including: How old is the water heater; what condition the water heater is in and what is the current issue that you're having with the water heater?

At that place are exceptions, only mostly if a storage-type water heater is over x years old, regardless of what the problem may be, we volition most likely recommend replacement. Modernistic water heaters typically final around 8-x years depending on the usage and water quality. So annihilation over 10 years old will likely find us recommending replacing the water heater as opposed to throwing coin at a water heater that may not final much longer. On a side annotation, there are certain h2o heater brands we may recommend replacing when the tank is less than x years of age. This is oft due to either manufacturer'south defects or the tanks being recalled.

One of the reasons that water heaters fail within x years has to exercise with the anode rod, which is within every gas storage-type water heater suspended within the tank. This likewise known as a sacrificial anode rod and is designed to attract the corrosive minerals in the water. This helps to prevent the corrosive minerals from eating away at the tank itself. However, these minerals will literally eat away at the anode rod until information technology's completely dissolved. When the anode rod is gone, the minerals brainstorm corroding the tank itself and this will eventually crusade it to leak. These anode rods typically concluding about 4 to half-dozen years and there was a time when you could replace the anode rod adequately hands to extend the life of the water heater. Now, nevertheless, they are factory sealed by the manufacturer, thus making it harder to extend the life of your h2o heater.

So at present let's go over 2 scenarios that we encounter that will assistance you lot empathize how we make up one's mind whether to repair or supersede a h2o heater:

Scenario 1: THE Water HEATER IS LEAKING

The outset affair we'll try to determine is where the leak is originating. Is it coming from the height or the bottom of the water heater? If in that location'south h2o below the h2o heater but no signs of wet to a higher place the water heater, the tank itself is most likely leaking and volition probable need to exist replaced. If you are able to determine the water is originating higher up or on tiptop of the water heater, information technology may exist a plumbing leak or ane of the peripheral components leaking and that may be repairable. Any leaks should be addressed immediately regardless of the severity of the leak. Once a leak starts, there is no telling how long information technology will take to go from a pocket-sized leak to a major leak and begin causing impairment.

Scenario ii: THE WATER HEATER IS Non PRODUCING ANY HOT WATER

This may be a repairable situation and then long as the tank is in good condition and non also one-time. This tells usa at to the lowest degree 1 of the components has failed or is about to fail. It might exist the pilot assembly, the gas command, burner assembly, ane of the safety components, or a clogged air intake screen. All of these may be repairable situations.

Bottom line for most situations: If we tin can determine the tank itself is leaking, information technology will probably need to be replaced. If there'southward a leak originating anywhere other than the tank itself, information technology may exist repairable. If the water heater is not producing hot water, is in expert condition and not too old, it may be repairable equally well.

If y'all take any questions virtually the information in this blog or you take a question most your water heater in general, just call usa 24 hours a mean solar day, seven days a week at 1-866-WHO-QUICK. You lot can also learn more nearly your water heater and how to spot whatsoever potential problems – and even learn some basic maintenance – past looking at our Mutual Problems section at the bottom of our website. There are a lot of instructional blogs and videos covering a whole host of issues and concerns. Nosotros even accept a video helping you to figure out the age of your water heater, which tin can give you a good thought well-nigh whether it can exist repaired or should exist replaced (you can picket it by clicking here).  If it'southward a h2o heater issue, we accept seen it and we believe that the more people know about using and maintaining their water heater, the better off they are.