| Determining the right time to replace your water | | | | you may be living on borrowed time. |
| heater can be quite tricky. You should take your | | | | 7. An ineffective water heater could be the |
| time and look at many different types before | | | | reason why your energy bill has gone up |
| you have to replace it. | | | | unexpectedly. |
| Here are signs that can help you determine if | | | | 8. A good indicator for both electric and gas |
| your water heater is on its way to retirement! | | | | heaters is the sacrificial anode rod. While it is hard |
| 1. Check out the age of heater. You have to | | | | to remove, the effort could be worth it since the |
| make sure when did you buy it or even inherit it | | | | anode will give you the best clue concerning the |
| when you bought your house. Gas heaters have a | | | | condition of the tank. The sacrificial metal whether |
| life span of eight to twelve years while an electric | | | | aluminum or magnesium is formed around a steel |
| one can last from ten to fifteen years. Tankless | | | | core wire. In normal conditions, the anode slowly |
| heaters last up to twenty-five years or more. | | | | corrodes away to protect the water heater |
| 2. You can decide to replace it when you get | | | | against rust. When an ample amount of metal has |
| discolored or tainted water when you turn on the | | | | rusted away, exposing six inches of the core wire |
| hot tap. | | | | it is time to replace it. When you pull the anode |
| 3. Rust, water damage or condensation could | | | | and find little or nothing of it left, some damage |
| signal a leak. Inspect the tank fittings. If you see | | | | has occurred in the tank. |
| signs of leakage or rusting, check out the | | | | The major difference between the most old and |
| combustion chamber and the fuel-burning units. | | | | the most recent water heaters in terms of |
| Heavy rust and water streaks are signs of | | | | energy performance is the level of insulation. |
| danger and the time to replace the unit right | | | | Atmospheric immersion and combustion heating |
| away. | | | | elements have not altered much. Thus, insulating |
| 4. The hot water heater is not as hot as you | | | | heat traps, blankets and insulating pipes can |
| remember it to be, or you even run out of hot | | | | greatly help in keeping your water heater where it |
| water under normal conditions or worst, getting | | | | should be and help older water heaters perform |
| an ice cold shower in the early mornings. | | | | more like new ones. |
| 5. Installing and having new hot water appliances | | | | When you have determined that it is really time |
| such as a new dishwasher or washing machine | | | | to replace your old water heater, then you should |
| could signal a need for a new water heating | | | | make it a point beforehand to set aside a budget |
| solution. | | | | intended for this reason. Remember that not all |
| 6. Determine the last time you did maintenance | | | | things last forever, therefore, you should be able |
| on your water heater. Unfortunately, if you | | | | to anticipate this need especially when you are |
| cannot remember at all or the answer is never, | | | | buying an older home. |