Should You Repair or Replace Your Water Heater at Home
So, it’s finally that time of year again where you whip out your routine maintenance checklist and inspect your home to know what you’ll need to take care of in the future. From dealing with damaged walls and chipping paint to sorting out leaky faucets and tile grout that’s become an unsightly dark green, there are different items that you’ll need to tend to sooner or later.
As you continue to knock down the different tasks and home improvement project ideas on your list, you’ll eventually run into some items requiring more preparation and deliberation than others. One such example of a more complex to-do list item is anything related to dealing with your home’s water heater, especially when determining whether you need a replacement or repair.
A fork in the road
After years of usage, your water heater will eventually reach a point where it’s seen its best days and is no longer the quick, easy, and convenient tool that it used to be.
Over time, you’ll begin to notice a slow decline in terms of your appliance’s ability to perform as it no longer heats up as well as it should and leaves you feeling cold even if you have the knob cranked all the way to the right. At some point, your water heater will experience signs of persistent leaks that can no longer be considered minor as they also pose threats to your safety at home.
Once the signs begin to show, you’ll come to realize that there is no better time to take action so that you no longer have to put up with the inconvenience of a failing heater. However, it can be quite difficult to discern whether you’re facing the need for a full-blown replacement or a simple repair.
When should you opt to repair your water heater instead of replacing it?
While the manufacturer’s recommendations for the average appliance suggest that a heater is good for 8 to 12 years, there are some warning signs that show before it hits the baseline mark, which bears a cause for concern. These visible issues can often be dealt with through the use of a repair as they tend to be solved quickly with a new part or set of adjustments.
The basic rule of thumb for determining if a water heater can still be repaired once it starts to show problems is that you need to be aware of these four factors:
- The repair call with an expert must be scheduled first for a total inspection
- The heater itself needs to be less than eight years old
- The heater’s tank doesn’t have any leaks at the base of the tank
- The heater itself doesn’t behave erratically
Once you spot these key factors and receive confirmation from an expert like Benjamin Franklin Plumbing that your problematic heater is repairable, all you’ll need to do is schedule the necessary fixes and keep up with regular maintenance!
When is it time to get a replacement?
On the other hand, knowing when to get a replacement for your water heater is a fairly straightforward process because there are definitive factors that you can spot.
For starters, a full replacement for your heating appliance is worth considering once it meets the end of its shelf life, as its components are rated to only last for that specific period of time. Additionally, any erratic behavior (such as intense, uncontrollable heat or extended periods of cold water) paired with a leaking tank base is also a strong indicator that you’ll need a switch soon. Beyond erratic signs and a manufacturer’s set shelf life, it is also worth going for a replacement if you want to upgrade to a tankless or more efficient option for your home!
Conclusion
Deliberating between replacing and repairing your home’s water heater can be difficult because it isn’t necessarily common knowledge. Yet, keeping the right details in mind can help you find an answer easier. Once you keep the key factors mentioned above in mind, you’ll be able to ensure that you make the right choice once the time to choose arises!
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing provides professional emergency water heater services in Lakeport, CA. If you’ve got a leaky faucet at home that won’t stop causing problems, get in touch with us today so that we can get everything sorted out!
