Signs Your Water Heater Is Failing

Why it matters

A tank that fails suddenly can release its full contents onto the floor, damaging finished basements and stored belongings. Planning replacement lets you compare options, avoid rush pricing and choose a time that suits you.

Step by step

1. Check the age. The serial number or a date on the rating plate tells you when the tank was made. Over ten years, start planning; over fifteen, it is borrowed time.
2. Look at the hot water. Rusty or brown hot water, but clear cold water, suggests the inside of the tank is corroding.
3. Listen. Rumbling, popping or crackling means sediment is baking at the bottom of the tank.
4. Watch the supply. Shorter hot showers than before can mean sediment, a cracked dip tube or a weak element.
5. Inspect the base. Moisture, rust streaks or a puddle under the tank are serious. Check whether it comes from a fitting above or the tank itself.
6. Note pilot problems. A gas pilot that keeps going out may point to a thermocouple or venting issue.

Common mistakes

• Ignoring a small drip at the base, which rarely stays small.
• Turning the thermostat up to cover a failing element or burner.
• Opening the drain on an ancient tank for the first time, only for it to keep dripping.
• Not checking whether the tank is rented before calling for repairs.

When to call a plumber

Ring us for water under the tank, rust-coloured hot water or none at all. A plumber can tell whether a part or a tank is the problem. Read water heater repair for what a visit involves, and what hard water does to understand why tanks wear.