Your hot water tank can't last forever, meaning you'll need to replace it after some years. But how can you tell you need a new hot water tank installation? Well, these are the signs you must watch out for.
Age
Your hot water tank doesn't have a long life span. It will lose its efficiency after hitting the 10+ year mark. While annual maintenance can help increase your system's life span, you can't squeeze more than two years past 10 years. Therefore, it's good to have some funds set aside for a new tank. You wouldn't want the hot water tank to fail when you are out of funds.
Noises From the Tank
Water heaters have never been noisy. In fact, you should not hear any noises whenever you turn on the water heater. So, if you have been hearing noises coming from your hot water tank, it's clear that you have got problems. But what causes these noises? In most instances, sediment build-up is responsible. Maybe you haven't flushed the tank in years, so minerals have accumulated in the tank in large quantities.
Once these mineral deposits get heated, they'll cause rumbling and banging sounds in the tank. And if the deposits can't be flushed out, you'll have to replace the tank.
Leaks
It's impossible to ignore the presence of leaks in your tank. You see, leaks don't just happen; there must be a reason behind them. Maybe the pressure relief valve hasn't been working correctly, the tank is old, or it has finally given up to the constant expansion and contraction. Unfortunately, you can't repair a leaking hot water tank. Replacing it is the only safe option.
Rusty Water
The presence of rust in your water should raise the alarm. Unless you have rusty pipes or fixtures, there is absolutely no reason your water should be rusty. Therefore, the problem must be in your hot water tank. And depending on the age of your water heater, there is a high likelihood the tank is badly corroded. Unfortunately, you can't save a corroded tank, meaning you'll have to get a replacement.
Increased Demand
Have you noticed that you have been running out of hot water quickly? That's a sign that the hot water tank can no longer meet your household's demands. And since it's impossible to live without hot water, you'll have to buy a larger water heater system. With a large hot water tank, your family will always have hot water on demand.
Contact a local hot water tank service to learn more.