Should You Repair Or Replace Your Water Heater?

6 November 2018
 Categories: Home & Garden, Blog


Hot water on demand is one of the true joys of modern life, which is why issues with your hot water heater can quickly ruin your day. Knowing a few of the common issues that water heaters can experience means you can quickly determine whether you should repair or replace your existing unit. This quick decision, in turn, means that you can soon be enjoying a hot shower again.

How old is the hot water heater?

Although longevity of a water heater can vary greatly, you should usually consider replacement if your heater is more than 10 years old. At this age, problems are likely to keep surfacing. Plus, older units aren't as efficient, so a replacement will save you money on both future water heater repair costs and the cost of energy to run the appliance.

When was it last flushed?

Flushing of the water heater is an oft-overlooked home maintenance task. If your water heater isn't heating water well or if the capacity has dropped — you are running out of hot water more quickly than you used to — then all you may need to do is schedule a flushing service. Hard water deposits build up in the interior of a hot water heater. These deposits can coat heating elements, which affects the water temperature, or they can build up on the walls of the unit and decrease the tank capacity. A repair is often the best option in this case, since all it may require nothing more than a flushing out of the deposits and possibly a replacement of a damaged heating element.

Do you just need to replace a single component?

When a water heater stops working properly before the end of its typical service life, the likely culprit is usually a heating element. Water heaters come equipped with one or more heating elements, which can burn out or become damaged by hard water deposits. Another likely culprit could be the thermostat on the water heater. These sometimes burn out, or the calibration becomes off. Components like thermostats and heating elements only cost a fraction of the price of a new hot water heater, even with labor and installation charges. A repair is a good option.

Is there a leak?

Some leaks are easily reparable. If the leak is happening at a valve or hose connection, simply replacing the valve or an O-ring at the connection may provide a suitable and inexpensive repair. If there is damage to the tank, though, or if a leak keeps reappearing at the same place even after a repair, it is likely time for a new water heater.

Contact a repair service for more help.


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