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Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing Blog

Replace Your Water Heater if It’s Having These Issues

water-heater-installationWater heaters are built to last quite a long time, but they don’t last indefinitely. No matter how well you take care of your system, at some point you’re going to need a new one. If you know the signs that your water heater is on its last legs, you can replace it before it has the chance to fail completely. Have a look at the symptoms below to help determine whether or not your water heater is in need of replacement.

Chronic Trouble Meeting Demand

Sufficient levels of demand can overwhelm any water heater. But, you should have a professional take a look at the system if it’s having trouble even providing enough hot water for basic needs. This could be for a number of different reasons, including lime scale buildup in the tank or a clogged burner assembly. However, it’s also possible that your water heater is suffering from years of wear and tear. Buildup of wear and tear over time will cause the efficiency of the water heater to decline, and might manifest in the system struggling to provide enough hot water. If this is the reason why your water heater is struggling, then there is very little that can be done aside from replacing the system.

Repair Frequency

You will likely have to repair your water heater a handful of times throughout the system’s life. Once every few years it’s pretty common for something to need fixing in the system. If your water heater is breaking down multiple times a year, though, you should take that as a sign that it’s getting close to the end of its life. As the system gets older, more and more parts inside it will begin to fail under the strain. A system that needs repairing once every few months is very likely going to break down permanently soon. You would be much better off replacing the entire system than trying to keep your current one up and running by replacing one part of it at a time.

Old Age

The average water heater lasts around 10-15 years. You might be able to get more out of yours under ideal circumstances, but you shouldn’t expect your system to last much longer than that. Water heaters that get older than 15 years tend to accumulate a whole list of problems that impact their cost-effectiveness. The longer you insist on using such a water heater, the more money you’ll be unnecessarily be spending to keep it up and running. If your water heater is older than 15, we highly recommend that you consult with a technician about whether or not it’s a good idea to replace it. You’ll probably save much more in the long run by installing a new system than by continuing to pay to keep your old one running.

Tuckers Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing provides comprehensive water heater installation and replacement services in Gaithersburg, MD. If you need a new water heater, contact us for an appointment with one of our water heater technicians.

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