A water heater is one of the most important amenities that you have. It not only makes household chores easier, but also ensures comfort during cold weather.
In this guide, we’ll help you understand whether you should repair or replace your water heater when it malfunctions:
The age of the water heater
According to studies, your tank-based, gas water heater should ideally last for around ten years. On the other hand, a tankless water heater has a longer lifespan, and may stay in working condition for over twenty years.
If your water heater is nearing the end of its lifespan, it’s best to replace it altogether. By this time, you’ll find yourself incurring repair costs quite frequently.
Most homeowners don’t know how to assess a water heater’s age. So if you’re moving into a new house with a pre-installed water heater, it’s best to inquire about the manufacturing date.
Frequency and cost of repairs
As discussed above, the frequency and cost of repairs are essential components of your repair or replacement decision. To decide, you can carry out a cost-benefit analysis.
Assess the kinds of repairs you’re incurring and also consider their cumulative costs. The most common issues that heaters experience are strange noises, unexpected leaks, a rusted tank, and failure to heat water effectively.
Every time one of these issues arises, try and gauge the total repair costs. If you feel like the total repair costs are more than 50% of what it’d cost to replace the heater, abort the mission.
In this case, repairs won’t be worth it and it’ll be better to replace the water heater. The same is the case if the heater needs small repairs way too frequently.
High energy bills
If you have to turn up the temperature to get even slightly hot water, your water heater is inefficient. This will result in high energy bills. This is because the water heater will now have to work extra hard to heat the water.
According to Energy Saver, your water heating expenses account for as much as 12% of your total bills. This means that it’s imperative that you fix such issues.
Pro Serve Plumbing has been helping the residents of Forth Wort TX with their water heater issues for a long time. And during the COVID-19, we are paying extra attention to sanitation and are taking all the safety precautions. Here are the details about our plumbing services.
