If you take good care of your hot water heater, you can get up to 12 years out of it before you will need to replace it. Waking up to a cold shower and a flooded basement can ruin anyone's morning. Fortunately, there are plenty of cautionary signs that your water heater is close to failing. To aid you in determining if your water heater will need to be replaced, below are major symptoms to keep in mind.

  • Consistency: The most obvious sign that your system is failing is that it cannot maintain a consistent temperature or is not producing hot water at all.
  • Noise: If the unit is making a knocking or whining noise it might be burning off sediment, which is easily remedied by flushing out sediment and water. You should clean the unit once a year, regardless if you hear a noise or not. If the noise continues after cleaning the system, it is typically a sign that the heating element is burning out
  • Water Appearance: The appearance of the water can be a clear indicator if the system is close to failing. If the water coming from faucets appears to have a rust color in it, this could be a sign the interior of the tank has begun to rust. Once the tank has begun to rust, there is nothing that can be done to save it and you should call to have our plumbers replace it before further damage is done. A metallic taste or smell is also another warning sign of rust and potential failure.
  • Murky Water: If while flushing the system, you notice murky water coming out or there is an excessive amount of sediment in it, the system is most likely close to failing.
  • Leaking: If there is water on the ground that has clearly come from the unit, call our plumbing service near Villanova immediately. It is typically a sign of an internal issue that will need to be replaced before it breaks causing flooding and further damage.

If your water heater is exhibiting any of these signs after you have flushed the system and you are looking for plumbers in Villanova, give us a call today. Our plumbers at Ben Franklin Plumbing are trained in repairing, replacing, and installing all things plumbing related from faucets to water heaters.