When To Change Your Hot Water Tank

A question we often encounter is how to know when one should change their hot water tank.

There can be many reasons why a hot water tank should be replaced, whether it’s for one of the below reasons or purely for a fact that a new hot water tank will be much more efficient and economical, thus saving you more money.

8 Common Signals That a Hot Water Tank Should be Replaced

1. Not hot: a hot water tank should make your water hot. If it’s not heating up the water, or not heating it up like it used to then it’s not doing its job anymore.
2. Leaking: this is one of the most common signs that your hot water tank needs to be replaced. If you can’t figure out from where the tank is actually leaking but you can see the escaped water, it could be that the seams within the tank have deteriorated to the point they are letting out water (usually for older tanks). Look for puddles underneath the tank or even smaller leaks around fittings and plumbing connections where there might be corrosion or damage.
3. How long hot water lasts: if you find you can only fit in 2 hot showers instead of multiple like before, there is likely something wrong with the tank.
4. Gas pilot turns off: if you find the gas pilot keeps going off, this is also a sign there could be something wrong.
5. Rust & corrosion: most hot water tanks are designed to withstand rust for the length of their warranty. However, after the warranty time frame, the devices the equipment uses to withstand rust can become ineffective, and the whole tank can begin to rapidly rust and corrode.
6. Sound: if you listen to the hot water tank in a quiet basement, listen for any popping or strange mechanical sounds coming from the tank. This could be a mechanical problem within the tank.
7. Drain valve yields no water: you should be able to drain the water from the tank using the drain valve. If you open the valve and no water comes out, this is most likely because there is so much sediment in the bottom of the tank that water cannot be released.
8. Age of the tank: most hot water tanks have a warranty of 5 – 10 years, and can potentially keep working after that. Check the age of your tank as well as signs of any of the above problems. It could be time to change the tank, even if just to benefit from the efficiency savings of a new tank.

If you notice any of the above, give your trusted friends at Stan’s a call and we’ll be sure to help. Or if you’re interested in learning about the efficiency savings from getting a new, top-performance tank, we can also help recommend the best model for your home.

– Cheers from the friendly staff at Stan’s.