Saying goodbye is tough. You may not think of saying goodbye to a major appliance in your home as difficult. But when it comes to a large appliance like a water heater, one that supplies your household with a vital daily resource, it’s difficult to say goodbye because of the labor, costs, and decisions involved.
So you may hesitate about scheduling a new water heater installation, even when you sense your old reliable water heater is getting too old and unreliable. Let’s take a hard look at your current water heater and ask the tough questions so you can make the choice (with a professional’s assistance) about whether this spring is when you replace the water heater.
Does your water heater cost more to run than it once did?
The water heater accounts for an enormous amount of energy use in your home. It uses far more power than your home heating system, like a furnace, because you need it to run almost every day, regardless of the season. When a water heater reaches the end of its service life, it will consume more energy than before—so if your utility bills are spiking and you don’t understand why, an over-the-hill water heater is one of the most likely culprits.
Has the hot water volume dropped?
Or another way to phrase this: “Are people in the household complaining that they’re going with lukewarm showers in the morning?” One of the major warning signs of a water heater that’s in decline and probably can’t be restored through repairs is when it can no longer supply the volume of hot water your household needs. When the hot water runs out early, the water heater may need to go into retirement.
Is the water no longer warm enough?
This may point to a basic repair need. But for water heaters 15 years or older, it can mean an age decline. But whatever the situation, please don’t try to compensate by raising water temperature. This is not only wasteful, but it also creates a potential scalding hazard. Call an expert and let them investigate.
Is there corrosion on the water heater?
Any spot of corrosion on the water heater tank is bad news. Water heaters are designed to resist corrosion for most of their lives—so when corrosion does appear, it means the water heater on the wrong side of “most of its life.” Call for a technician immediately, and be ready to have the water heater replaced.
Would you simply like a new water heater with better features?
This is a perfectly good reason to replace an old water heater, even if the water heater hasn’t shown any of the signs above. Tankless water heaters are great energy-saving replacements with other helpful features. Or you may wish to stay with a standard tank water heater, but one with a much higher efficiency rating. Plenty of water heating technology has improved over the last decade.
You can arrange for quality water heater services in Staten Island, NY with our experts. We won’t steer you wrong—we’ll help you make the best choice for your household’s hot water needs.
Arrange with Bob Mims Heating & Air Conditioning for water heater installation. Serving Staten Island’s Heating and A/C needs since 1955.
