Did your water heater let you down during the holidays? Make a New Year’s resolution to replace your water heater so that you don’t have to worry about that again for the foreseeable future.
Your Roanoke plumbing experts at Southern Trust Home Services can answer all of your water heating questions. In general, water heaters last about 12 years, so if yours is older, it may be time to replace it. Running out of hot water when you really need it is a good indicator that you need to upgrade your equipment.
Sometimes you need a new water heater because you outgrew it. You may have added children or elderly parents or both and more people will need more hot water. Tank-type water heaters can clog with sediment so that they don’t produce as much hot water as they used to, and you’ll run out of hot water faster. Look for water discolored from sediment or rust. If your water is rusty, that’s a sign that the anode rods have been depleted and the tank is beginning to rust on the inside. If your water heater is making rumbling noises, that’s caused by a build-up of sediment in the tank.
Leaks and signs of corrosion around the tank should prompt you to replace the water heater before it fails. If you have an old electric water heater and one of the heating elements gives out, you’ll notice a sudden drop in the amount of hot water you can get.
New water heaters are a lot more energy efficient. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, water heating accounts for 17% of residential energy use. That’s why when you consider a new water heater, look for the Energy Factor or EF; the higher the better. EF, in combination with first hour rating, i.e., how many gallons of hot water the water heater can deliver in an hour, always trump a cheap price.
First hour rating applies to tank-type water heaters, but a tankless heater may be a better option for your family. Tankless water heaters can provide continuous hot water, they are energy efficient, plus they free up floor space that you can use for storage. Only pay to heat the water that you use!
Our trained, expert plumbers will consult with you about your water heating usage and needs to make sure that you get exactly what you need. Your new water heater installation will meet code, and you’ll benefit from the industry’s best guarantees and warranties. You’ll have the comfort and peace of mind to make an informed decision. Why not consider monthly financing for your new water heater?
At Southern Trust Home Services, we’re here to meet all of your water heating needs. Ask about our water heating replacement special offers when you call us at (540) 343-4348 and make hot water worries a thing of the past.