If you were to sit back and think about how comfortable life is now compared to a thousand or more years ago, it would really boggle your mind to realize just how far we’ve chugged along as a society in those terms. There are so many crucial inventions and innovations that we just simply take for granted and do not understand how awesome they are for our lives until something goes wrong, and they’re removed. One such luxury is the water heater. The ability to wash your dishes and clothes with hot water and to take that cleansing, soothing hot, steamy shower is certainly a luxury, and having that hot water heater go out is a major inconvenience.
If you have a water heater that isn’t functioning properly, you shouldn’t panic. You may just need some simple water heater repair to get things flowing like normal again. Let’s take a few minutes and go over some information here, regarding time frames for maintenance and signs that it may be time to repair or replace your water heater.
The Timeline of Repairs for a Water Heater
When it comes to having your water heater repaired, there’s really no set timeline. For instance, if you’re dealing with a car, the suggestion is that you change your oil after a certain length of driving. Even then, it’s not written in stone—the same with a water heater. Quality brands last longer, and then you have to factor in usage. Suppose you don’t use the heater that often; it’s likely going to last a lot longer. So there’s really no way to slap an ironclad date on here, as they don’t exist. However, there are some maintenance suggestions.
Maintenance Suggestions
However, if we’re speaking about a timeline, then it is recommended that people perform maintenance on their water heaters every year. This doesn’t mean calling in the professionals for water heater repair, however. It’s more to do with things like checking to ensure your connections are tight and aren’t leaking, and flushing your water heater out completely, and then refilling it with clean water. The idea with that step is that you don’t want sediment building up and affecting performance. Though you may encounter issues where you will need repair and not just maintenance, so let’s go over those signs.
Signs You Need to Repair or Replace Your Water Heater
1: Cold Water!
How long is your hot water lasting? If you cannot even get through washing the dishes, then you have some major issues. Though the average water heater, if performing well, should still give you about three hot showers in a row. If it doesn’t, it’s a sign your tank isn’t holding water well or isn’t heating it correctly. This is a sign you need repair.
2: Strange Noises
Do you hear strange noises coming from your water heater? These devices can make noise when they’re filling up, but you should be able to discern that noise from oddities. You should be able to tell when it sounds like water filling into the tank. Though if it’s making creaking, knocking noises, this is something else altogether. If you have a noisy water heater, then it may be time to find the right repair people for the job.
3: Discoloured Water
You should pay attention to the colour of your water. Brownish water may just be an issue with your municipality, which you can crosscheck by calling those in charge. Though if you have rust-coloured water, or if there’s no issue with your local water supply, then you likely have some serious water heater issues that need to be addressed immediately.
4: Odour in the Water
Does your water smell? Like the advice above, try calling in to see if this is a problem for your particular area first. If it isn’t, then the odds are good that you’re having some sort of issue with your water heater, and you’re going to need this fixed right away.
Even if you take the time to maintain your water heater very well, there’s just the fact that they’re finite devices. They will not last forever. So always pay attention to things, just in case you need replacement or repair with your water heater.
