7 Signs You Need to Call a Plumber
September 1, 2020
Your water heater is an important part of what keeps your household running. Keeping it in good condition will help ensure many years of hassle-free ownership. When an issue does arise, professional plumbers are there for you to fix any problems and get you back up and running.
When should you call a plumber to troubleshoot your water heater? Below are several scenarios where you might want to call for help.
1. Your water heater is leaking – Water damage is a costly out-of-pocket expense or homeowners’ insurance claim, costing thousands of dollars in damage, not to mention it’s an inconvenience. A typical tank-type water heater holds 40-50 gallons of water or more. If your water heater is leaking, call a plumber as soon as possible to have it inspected and potentially replaced.
2. You have no hot water – If you are not getting hot water from any of your faucets, call a plumber so they can identify the problem.
3.
The pilot light won’t stay lit – This can occur with natural gas or propane water heaters. A plumber can safely get to the root of the cause and fix this for you.
4. You regularly run out of hot water – This can be an indication that your water heater needs to be serviced, is at the end of its life or may be undersized. A plumber can help you decide whether to replace it or look for other ways to get more hot water out of it such as a water heater booster. You could look into a tankless point-of-use unit for you bathroom too.
5. Your water heater is around 10 years old – Knowing the age of your water heater and proactively replacing it on your terms and not the water heater’s terms can prevent problems and water damage. The average heater in the U.S. lasts for roughly a decade and it’s best to replace it before it goes out or causes any issues.
6. You are interested in upgrading – If you want to proactively find the best water heater for your home, it’s time for an upgrade. Think tankless for continuous hot water, get all the smart features with Gladiator™ or find energy savings with the newest hybrid – ProTerra™. These may be some good reasons to upgrade now:
- You need more hot water – If you regularly run out of hot water, you may need to upgrade to a larger tank.
- More efficient – If you want to save money on electric bills and have a water heater that is better for the environment, think about high-efficiency, ENERGY STAR certified water heaters. Many ENERGY STAR water heaters are eligible for federal tax credits and/or local utility rebates. Check with your utility provider for information on rebates.
- Continuous hot water – Tankless water heaters provide a constant supply of hot water for everything you have going on in your home.
- Smart/connected product – If you’d like to be able to control your water heater from a mobile device and have it as a part of your connected home, Gladiator and ProTerra are great options that allow you to control them from anywhere in the EcoNet® app.
- Products with leak detection – Gladiator and ProTerra with LeakGuard™ are the ultimate for peace of mind – they let you know when your water heater has a leak and the auto-shutoff valve limits leakage to no more than 20 ounces of water1.
7. The unit needs regular service – There are recommended maintenance items that you should consider to take care of your water heater and extend its life such as:
- Tankless units need to be flushed
- Tanks need to be drained to reduce sediment buildup
- Anode rod can be replaced to extend the life of the tank
Access a
printable that you can use as a reference.
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You have contact lists for everything. Make sure that a local plumber is included so you don’t have to scramble if you come across an issue. Search for one in your area so you’re ready.
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1Source: Rheem leak-sensing data; testing under a vacuum lock using 50 gallon tank, no expansion tank, average tank pressure of 40 psi, assuming no additional faucets are opened.
