Your water heater has been working hard all summer, and now it’s trying to tell you something – the question is, are you listening?
Most Orange County homeowners completely ignore their water heater until it stops working. It sits quietly in the garage or utility room, doing its job day after day, until one morning you’re standing in a cold shower, wondering what went wrong.
Learning to recognize these warning signs can save you from emergency replacements and cold showers!
Warning Signs You Can’t Ignore
Water Temperature Issues: If your hot water isn’t as hot as it used to be, or if you’re running out of hot water faster than normal, your water heater is telling you something’s wrong. This could mean sediment buildup, a failing heating element, or a thermostat that’s going bad.
Don’t just turn up the temperature and hope for the best. That usually makes the problem worse and wastes energy.
- Strange Noises: Water heaters should run quietly. If you’re hearing popping, crackling, rumbling, or banging noises, that’s sediment at the bottom of the tank heating up and creating steam bubbles. This sediment acts like insulation, making your water heater work harder and less efficiently.
Those noises are your water heater’s way of saying “help me” before the sediment buildup causes serious damage. - Discolored or Smelly Water: Rusty, brown, or metallic-tasting hot water usually indicates that your water heater tank is corroding from the inside. This is serious…once corrosion starts, it only gets worse.
If only your hot water has these issues (cold water is fine), the problem is definitely your water heater, not your pipes. - Water Around the Unit: Any water pooling around your water heater is a red flag. This could be a small leak that’s going to become a big leak, or it could be the pressure relief valve doing its job because something else is wrong.
Don’t ignore water around your water heater, even if it seems minor. Small leaks become big floods, usually at the worst possible time. - Higher Energy Bills: If your energy bills are creeping up but your usage hasn’t changed, your water heater might be working inefficiently. Sediment buildup, failing components, or age-related wear can cause your water heater to use significantly more energy to perform the same job.
In Orange County, where electricity rates average 33¢ per kWh (31% higher than the national average), an inefficient water heater can really impact your monthly bills.
When to Repair vs. Replace
If your water heater is less than 8 years old and you’re dealing with minor issues, repair usually makes sense. Professional plumbing services can often fix component problems and extend your water heater’s life significantly.
But if your unit is over 10 years old, having multiple issues, or showing signs of tank corrosion, replacement is usually the smarter choice. Newer water heaters are significantly more efficient and can save you money on energy bills, even after the initial replacement cost.
In Orange County’s expensive energy market, the efficiency gains from a new water heater often pay for themselves faster than in other parts of the country.
Don’t Wait for the Emergency
Your water heater has been trying to tell you what it needs! Whether that’s maintenance to extend its life or replacement before it fails completely, listening to those warning signs will save you money, hassle, and the discomfort of cold showers.
Is your water heater trying to tell you something? Don’t wait for an emergency to listen. Schedule service with the expert plumbers at Biard & Crockett.
Call Biard & Crockett at (714) 602-1299 or schedule your service online to keep your hot water flowing reliably through another Orange County season.