Why Do Water Heaters Fail? 6 Reasons

Warning signs you should watch out for

You likely don’t pay a lot of attention to your water heater, as long as you get hot water when you step into the shower.

But there may be a time where that hot water doesn’t show up. We’ve put together six causes, and some clues that water heater failure may be in your near future, so you can act on it accordingly.

If any of these reasons look familiar, get in touch with Advanced Propane. We can help you replace your water heater with a quality, energy-efficient water heater that will have your Tennessee or Southern Kentucky home supplying hot water for years to come.

6 possible causes for water heater problems:

1. Internal corrosion. There’s a reason the anode rod in your water heater tank is commonly called a “sacrificial anode”. They’re there purposefully to corrode so the inside of your water heater tank doesn’t. They should be checked annually and replaced as needed. If they haven’t been replaced lately, that corrosion may instead be occurring on the inside of your water tank. That’s a recipe for water heater failure.
2. Sediment buildup. Do you have hard water issues? If so, sediment can begin to build up on the bottom of your water heater tank. It can clog water passages, setting up potential water heater failure.
3. Too-high of water pressure. This can damage not only your water heater, but your pipes and any appliances that use hot water, like your dishwasher and washing machine. One hint that this may be a problem is water leaking from the overflow pump on the side of your water heater. Whether you see this or not, check that the water pressure for your water heater is no higher than 80 psi.
4. Too-small of water heater. Your water heater may have been the right size when it was installed. But if you’ve added another bathroom, or more appliances that use hot water, or there are more people living in your home, it may be too small to meet your current needs. That strain sets up failure from overuse.
5. Improper venting. If the exhaust and gas fumes from your water heater aren’t venting out of your home as they should be, it can create a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide in your home as well as water heater failure. If there are burn marks on the outside of the water heater, improper venting may be the cause.
6. Old age. The average life expectancy for a water heater with a tank is 8 to 12 years. If your water heater is around that old, you need to start planning to replace it before you have to deal with failure. It’s also a perfect opportunity to upgrade to an energy-efficient tankless water heater that not only gives you endless hot water on-demand, it is also energy-efficient and lasts longer!

Advanced Propane offers both conventional water heaters with a tank and tankless water heater options for your home. Contact us and we’ll help you find the right one to fit your needs, and budget!