Some Signs That Your Water Heater is Dying

I used to joke that appliances always knew your financial status.  It always seems that something breaks when you can least afford to replace it or have it repaired.  The fact is, things break down when you have money too.  It is also true that often we live with something for a long time and fail to notice the warning signs that it is about to die on us.

In our case, that our water heater was going to need to be replaced soon was something we were aware of--though it is always a bit shocking when something that has worked every day for a certain amount of years suddenly dies on you.  It had faithfully served us since 1995, which I considered an impressive amount of years considering that it was exposed to the elements and was scented by cats on a regular basis.  Our laundry room door had blown away during Hurricane Wilma.  The door frame had already been eaten away by termites, which left it vulnerable.  No door meant the rain could come in and so could the stray cats, and the water heater got the worst of both.

Of course, being exposed to the elements made it difficult for us to determine whether it was leaking, since the wet floor could have been from the rain.  However, it finally died without a doubt.  When we replaced it, we started realizing there had been many warning signs we hadn't even noticed.  Of course, the problem is that sometimes isolating the water heater as the actual source can be difficult.  After all, some of these signs can be signs of other problems.

I haven't had any experience with the newer water heaters that warm water immediately.  I'm talking about the classic design that stores a certain amount of water that is kept at a certain temperature.  Probably there are some signs that apply to all water heaters, but it is possible that these may not apply to those newer designs.

FIRST, THE OBVIOUS SIGNS

1.  You find water around the water heater.

Of course, if there is another possible source for the water--like in our case with the rain--then it may be harder to determine if it is coming from the water heater.  Still, thinking back, it should have been obvious it wasn't the rain.  The water tended to collect at the foot of the water heater, and then there was a little stream that would make its way to the door (our floor is uneven).  The rain wasn't that selective and would have probably wet a larger area.

2.  Your water and electric bills are higher.

If your water heater is leaking, then of course that is going to result in both higher water and electric bills.  The water heater will use more water because it will replace what it is losing.  Then it will be reheating the water more frequently because it is leaking.  Of course, a higher water and electric bill can have other culprits other than the water heater.  Make sure people aren't taking more showers or there isn't a leak somewhere else.  Make sure another appliance isn't an energy hog.

3.  Your water heater starts smoking and giving off an electrical burning smell.

This isn't a sign that your water heater is dying...this is a sign that it is dead.  If it burns up, be sure to call the fire department so they can make sure a fire hasn't started behind the walls.

THE LESS OBVIOUS SIGNS

1.  Your water takes a long time to heat up.

I had been living with this for years and took it for granted.  It was a shock when we got the new water heater to discover that yes, your water should get warm within seconds when the water heater is working efficiently.  Of course, if it is a small water heater--and many people have just taken a shower before you--then it is possible that the water heater works fine but is depleted.

2.  Your water has a funny taste.

My mom complained that our water was getting a very salty taste right before the water heater went.

3.  Your water leaves a reddish stain (or any stain) in the bathtub and/or you also notice sediment.

Our bathroom is old, and so I didn't really realize the water heater was at fault until we got the new one.  I thought the sediment was from the cracking grout.  The stains...I just thought our soap products were leaving behind more residue, or that the old tub was just getting harder to clean.

4.  Your water is hard.

I never understood what hard water was, though I had heard the term.  When you have hard water, soap and shampoo don't lather.  They also doesn't wash off, which can result in build up on your skin and scalp.

This is assuming that you have city water--and that you live in the United States.  If you live in another country, I have no idea what they do with their water.  If you have a well, again...that is a whole different ball game.

I get city water.  In the states, our water is treated with many additives.  It is cleaned so it doesn't have the brownish or yellowish water it probably has naturally.  It has fluoride added to it so we have stronger teeth.  Once a month, there is a time when it seems that these additives are getting thin--and the water will get dirty looking, will taste funny, and get hard.  However, if it is the water company, these problems should only last a day or two.  If it goes on much longer, then the water heater is the more likely culprit.

Our neighbor installed our water heater.  He claimed there were some new rules regarding water heaters.  My neighbor does some things very well and seems to know what he is talking about...in some areas.  At other times, I think he talks out his butt.  I don't know if there are new rules, but I know this new water heater looks different.

Our old electric heater plugged into an outlet.  Our neighbor claims they are no longer supposed to do that.  They are supposed to be connected directly to a metal box that is usually found right next to the water heater.  They are also supposed to have a round pan under them.

Another consideration...do you have an FPL on-call box?  If you live in another state, it may be a different company but the same device.  This is another box installed by the electric company.  It allows them to turn off the water heater during low use times to save on energy.  Frankly, it used to tick off my mother off quite a bit.  If you don't have any night owls in your family, you won't notice any inconvenience.  With us, they shut off the water heater around three in the morning.  The problem is that my mom is a night owl, and so she was taking cold showers before going to bed and not appreciating it one bit.  If you get up early in the wee hours, the water may not have time to heat up for your showers.

Anyway, if you have this box uninstalled, DON'T THROW IT OUT!  The company wants it back.  FPL got really nervous when they found out we had uninstalled ours.  That made me nervous.  Was the house going to blow up?  Did they worry we'd use it to make a bomb?  They actually sent someone out to collect it, and we had to sign papers that someone had collected it.  I'm assuming they just wanted to make sure that we had uninstalled it correctly, but still...I got a little freaked out because their tones seemed a little panicky when we told them.

Anyway, may your appliances live long and break when you have money to replace them!