Repairing a Hot Water Heater, or Should it Be Replaced?

Hot water heaters, usually a standard water heater furnace supplied by natural gas and a burner and then plumbed throughout a home or apartment, tend to be reliable for a number of years with very little maintenance.

However, closer to about 10 years of age, they start having issues, maybe sooner if maintenance has been poor. The primary causes tend to be internal corrosion due to water exposure, sediment build-up, or inefficient heating action. In all of these cases, repairs can only do so much, and at a certain point, a water heater may just need to be replaced altogether.

Common Maintenance: Prevents Repairs or Causes Them Without It

The two big forms of maintenance a homeowner can do on their water heater involve water flushing it annually to get rid of sediment build-up inside and changing the anode rod every two or three years.

The first method helps remove sediment that blocks water flow and impedes the heating process. Sediment can come from the water feed, hard minerals in the water, or corrosion.

Secondly, an anode rod is inserted in a water heater to help prevent corrosion. The rod itself starts to deteriorate, taking the corrosion beating instead, but it is only good for a few years and needs to be regularly replaced.

If neither flushing nor rod-changing has been done consistently, it’s a possible reason for repair earlier than 10 years, which is the standard expected good life of a water heater.

Signs of Repair Needs

The heater’s failure to produce hot water on demand is the most notable repair flag. Ideally, a water heater should be feeding noticeably warm and then hot water within 30 to 60 seconds of the faucet being turned on. If it takes as long as 3 to 5 minutes, the heater is struggling to produce. Water on its own is an incredible heat sink, meaning it takes a lot of energy to heat up. This is why it is the primary tool for firefighting. When a heater is struggling, the water temperature will be tepid.

The first place to check is the setting dial. If it’s in the warm setting, it should then be set to hot instead, but this doesn’t solve the problem, impeding the heating performance per se. It’s only a short-term solution.

Loud bubbling, gurgling, and similar sounds from the water heater, when used, signal an imbalance, air intrusion, and other issues going on with the water heating. Again, from the outside, the only things that can be fixed are the drainage, the feed, and temperature control. Ergo, repairs are fairly limited with a failing heater.

Avoid Trying to Fix Things Without Help

In any case, hot water heater repair in Waterford Township or replacement of a water heater is not a home repair job. It involves natural gas lines, plumbing, ignition systems, and technical knowledge. Skills and experience are needed to avoid creating a very dangerous mistake with gas and a fire source. Trust in a licensed plumber for this kind of repair. There are plenty of other projects that can be handled as a home repair job instead.