Many homeowners don’t notice the worsening condition of their water heaters until it’s too late and cold water starts coming out of faucets. To avoid reaching this stage, you need to be aware of the warning signs that will help you identify if your water heater needs repair.

Fluctuation in Water Temperature

If there is a problem with the water heater, you will start to notice a fluctuation in the water temperature. The water temperature will keep changing even if you haven’t made any changes to it. Usually, this occurs due to the accumulation of mineral deposits around the water heating components of the heater.

Reduced Hot Water Pressure

Mineral deposits can cause further harm to your water heater by lowering the pressure of hot water. Their accumulation in the heating components of the water heater can end up blocking pipes. This in turn reduces the pressure of the water coming from the water heater. Moreover, an aging water heater also leads to reduced water pressure.

Leakage of Hot Water

Now you must be wondering that this one is pretty obvious. However, this is not always the case. Usually a small amount of water trickles down the water heater when there is a leakage, making the damage unapparent until substantial damage is done.

Cloudy Water with an Unpleasant Smell

Often times, you might get cloudy water from your taps, which has a strange odor. Moreover, water with a strange odor could be the sign of a bacterial infection developing within the tank. This should be repaired immediately as the water can be harmful for use.

Odd Sounds Coming From the Water Heater

A little noise coming from the water heater isn’t worrisome. However, if this noise gets more frequent with time and starts to become louder, it can be a sign of the water heater needing repair. This happens when the mineral deposits build up near the heating components. The calcium and dirt particles are at the bottom of the tank, which form a layer, making it harder for the heater to warm water. These deposits within the water heater make noises so if you notice strange noises coming from the water heater, it’s probably the mineral deposits jostling around. The tank also ends up leaking if the noises aren’t taken seriously.

Rusty Water

If you notice rusty water coming from both your hot and cold water taps then the problem is probably with your water pipes. As the heater has a metal pole, which is made from magnesium and aluminum, it can lead to rusty water when this pole gets damaged. This is why you need to get your water heater inspected and maintained on a regular basis.

Lukewarm Water

There are several factors that can cause your water heater to provide lukewarm water instead of hot water. If you have changed the settings of the water heater to vacation mode or a lower temperature, then lukewarm water will come out. If the weather outside is significantly cold or if your usage of hot water has increased then that can also cause the water heater to warm the water slower than usual causing lukewarm water to come out from the water heater.

Electric water heaters work with the help of two elements. If one of the elements stops functioning, it causes the water to become lukewarm rather than hot. Similarly, gas water heaters work with a burner. If you experience lukewarm water coming from your hot water tap, it is a sign that the burner in your gas water heater isn’t functioning properly.

Hot Water Keeps Finishing

If hot water runs out faster than usual then it is a sign that there is something wrong with the element or burner of your water heater. Thus, you shouldn’t ignore this sign of hot water running out and turning ice cold within minutes.

It’s Been over a Year

Water heaters need to be maintained regularly to ensure smooth functioning. So, if it has been over a year since the last time you got your water heater inspected, it’s probably time you get it checked again regardless of it functioning properly. It’s better to detect a problem at an earlier stage before irreversible and costly damage occurs.

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