The breakdown of a water heater is one of the worst household problems you can ever have to face as a homeowner.

When the heater breaks down, homeowners are suddenly without common luxuries. For example, hot showers and baths are gone. Daily routines may become challenging. Most importantly, broken down water heaters can even start to leak and cause other issues too, so it’s vital to look out for the signs that your water heater might be on the way out.

Discolored Water

Firstly, one of the most horrible things you can experience as a homeowner is turning on a faucet in your home and seeing icky, brown water come pouring out. It’s unsightly, unsafe for consumption, unfit for cleaning with, and completely unacceptable to live with. It’s also a clear sign that there might be a problem with your water heater.

The coloration in the water is usually caused by rust, which can develop inside the heater over time. Dirty-looking water might be caused by pipe corrosion or other issues too, but if it only comes out when you run hot water, the heater might be the culprit.

Water

One of the most blatant signs that there are problems is if there’s water on or around it. It’s a great idea to check up on your heater periodically to look out for this simple sign.

Sometimes, the expansion of metal in the heater as it fires up can cause little cracks or fractures to appear, through which water can escape. The little fractures sometimes start very small and can be fixed if detected early. However, if they’re left unattended, they’ll grow and could lead to a flood.

The Age

One of the simplest signs to look out for in regard to your water heater and the end of its life is to see how long it has actually been running so far. Like with most things in life, the older a water heater gets, the weaker it becomes and the more likelier it is to suffer a fault or break down entirely.

You might already know how old the heater is. If not, you can find out by looking at the serial number. The number should start with a letter and two numbers. The numbers indicate what year the heater was made. For example, 04 will mean that the heater was manufactured in 2004. In general, heaters going past the age of 10 need to be replaced to be on the safe side.

Strange Noises

Odd noises and rattles from your water heater are not a good sign. Many homeowners simply ignore or overlook these kinds of strange noises. Most homeowners just think they’re a natural part of the heating process. In some cases, the odd noise can actually be perfectly innocent, but often, they can be revealing something more sinister.

In many cases, the rumbling noise from a heater is from a build-up of minerals and sediment inside the heater. This is a warning sign and indicates that the heater is working harder to heat up water. This leads to higher bills and less efficiency for your house.