A water heater rarely fails without warning. Most give you months of hints first. Here's what to look for, which signs mean replacement, and which ones are a simple repair.
1. Water around the base
Start by finding where the water is coming from. Look at the fittings on top of the tank, the temperature and pressure relief valve on the side, and the drain valve near the bottom. A leak at any of those can usually be repaired.
If the water is coming from the tank itself, from a seam or from under the jacket at the bottom, the tank has rusted through. That can't be patched. Shut off the cold water supply on top, turn off the gas or power, and plan on a replacement.
2. Age
The U.S. Department of Energy puts typical tank water heater life at 10 to 15 years. The label on the side has a serial number, and most manufacturers encode the manufacture date in it. The manufacturer's website will tell you how to read theirs.
Age alone isn't a reason to pull out a heater that works. But an older tank that needs a big repair is usually a better candidate for replacement, because the next part is probably not far behind.
3. Rusty or discolored hot water
If only the hot water comes out rusty, the tank's lining or its anode rod may be failing. If hot and cold are both discolored, the problem is more likely in the pipes, especially in older homes with galvanized steel.
4. Popping, rumbling or crackling
That noise is usually sediment. Minerals settle on the bottom of the tank, water gets trapped underneath, and it pops as the burner heats it. Flushing can help if the buildup isn't too far along. In an older tank, heavy sediment is a sign it's working harder than it should and wearing out faster.
5. Running out of hot water
A tank that used to keep up and now doesn't may have a failed heating element (on electric heaters), a broken dip tube, or a lot of sediment taking up space. Those are often repairable.
In Colorado, pay attention to the season. Water comes into the house much colder in winter, so a heater that's fine in summer can fall short in January. If it has never kept up with your household, it may simply be undersized.
6. The repairs keep coming
One repair on a sound tank is normal. A second and third in a short stretch is the heater telling you something.
Problems that are usually repairs
- A pilot that won't stay lit, often the thermocouple or flame sensor
- A failed heating element or thermostat on an electric heater
- A dripping relief valve, though it's worth finding out why it opened
- A leaking drain valve or loose connection
- A waterlogged expansion tank
Get ahead of it
Know where the cold water shutoff and gas valve are on your heater. Keep the area around it clear. If the tank is getting older, start thinking about what you'd replace it with, so you're choosing on your schedule and not in a cold shower. If you're curious about going tankless, read tank vs. tankless in Colorado homes.
If you're not sure whether yours is a repair or a replacement, call. Tell us what it's doing and how old it is, and we'll help you sort it out. More on our water heater repair and replacement page.