Whether to Repair That Ailing Water Heater or Just Replace It: 3 Deciding Factors

As you go about your daily tasks, you likely don’t think much about your water heater. That is until it begins to malfunction or stop working altogether. When this happens, most people are not sure what’s wrong with their ailing water heater or how to fix it. Fortunately, a few factors can help you figure out whether it needs to be repaired or replaced.

Knowing If You Should Replace or Repair Your Water Heater

Making the decision to repair or replace your ailing water heater is not easy, especially if you’re not familiar with plumbing, heating and cooling systems. However, you can better make such a decision by consider the following three factors:

• Condition – If the water heater only suffers from a minor issue, such as a broken thermostat, repairing it will probably be the easiest route; however, if it’s leaking water, it will almost certainly need to be replaced, especially if your water heater is more than seven or eight years old. A leak at this age almost always signals rust in the tank, which is something that can’t be fixed. Avoid this problem with your new water heater by regularly flushing out the tank.
• Age – If your water heater is 10 years or older and not performing up to par, it’s likely that it will need to be replaced. Not only do most water heaters wear out by this age, but newer models are also more efficient. Equipped with tank insulation, they keep water warmer for longer periods of time with less energy.
• Budget – Replacing a water heater can be much more expensive than repairing it, so make sure you evaluate your budget if you have a choice in the matter. If your water heater is leaking, however, you probably won’t have a choice. Just comfort yourself in knowing that with time, you’ll pay off some of that investment with lower energy bills.

Learn more about repairing or replacing your ailing water heater from the experts at Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing. We have been serving the Greater Indianapolis area for more than 40 years, and have the experience and knowledge to make sure your heating and cooling needs are taken care of.