October 17, 2017
 | 
By Mark Paup

Time for a New Water Heater? Here’s How to Tell

Updated February 5, 2024

No mechanical appliance will last forever, and when you think about how much a water heater works every year—not to mention every day—it’s impressive that one can last for as long as it can. But time will eventually catch up with any water heater and it will need to be replaced. The big question is (and it’s one you should ask yourself during the fall), is it time to replace your water heater?

We’ll look into that question below. If you want professional assistance in making this choice, or you’re ready to schedule the service, call our team. We also work with tankless water heaters, which makes a great replacement choice.

Signs it’s time to replace your water heater

  • Age of the system: The standard storage-tank water heater can last more than 10 years, provided that it always receives annual maintenance to tune it up and clean it. After 10 years, you need to be vigilant of signs of wear, and after 15 years, it’s time to have it replaced before it starts to suffer efficiency and effectiveness issues.
  • Drop in hot water volume: The best measure of the hot water volume in your water heater is the morning showers. If people in your household are starting to go with lukewarm showers in the morning when it wasn’t a problem before—then the water heater is probably starting to die.
  • Corrosion: Water heaters are specially designed to resist rust and other types of corrosion. But they can’t resist it forever. When it does set in, it is one of the clearest signs of a water heater that is too old and needs to be replaced.
  • Cost to run: Any appliance that has run down will drain more power when it operates. If your annual energy bills are rising all around the year (not connected to a single season), the issue may lie in a water heater that can no longer do its job.

Golden Rule Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical is here to help with all your plumbing and water heater needs in the greater Des Moines, IA metro area. “We Obey the Rules to Live By.”

Contact Us Today for Plumbing Service!


If you found this post helpful, check out some other budget-saving tips:



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