When to Replace a Water Heater
Repair Versus Replacement: Knowing When It's Time to Repair or Replace Your Water Heater
Water heaters today are a ubiquitous appliance for both homes and businesses. They're necessary not only for our comfort but for proper hygiene and cleanliness, making it critically important to keep them in good working order. When they aren't functioning correctly, it's difficult to wait very long to resolve the problem because you simply cannot go long without hot water.
When this happens and your hot water tank is no longer working properly, figuring out whether to repair or replace it can be a tough process. Knowing whether it is more cost effective to spend the time and money to repair your water heater or just go ahead and replace it completely requires a few considerations. Age, type of repair, and other factors will help determine the right course of action to restore your much needed hot water source.
Age Matters
Old people might still be a fun time, but an old water heater is not. As people age we gain wisdom, perspective, and usually a better sense of humor. As water heaters age, they just stop working so well. The ongoing wear and tear diminishes your heater's effectiveness until eventually a repair is needed. When that happens, considering your heater's age before spending money on a repair is important. With most types of water heaters, the life expectancy is about ten years. Being older than ten years can be a good indicator that it is better to replace your water heater completely as opposed to trying to repair it.
It's Simply in Bad Shape
There is something to be said for how your water heater looks. If it hasn't been properly maintained and looks to be in rough shape, it may not be a good idea to attempt repairs. A severely degraded water heater tends to sustain more damage during the repair process than you started with, making it a smarter move to go ahead and replace it.
The Repair Cost Exceeds 30%
A general rule of thumb in the repair versus replacement decision is that if the repair cost exceeds thirty percent of the cost of a replacement, it may be smarter to go ahead and replace. This is definitely the rule when a water heater is older than ten years. If it is less than ten years old, a little discernment is needed. If the repair needed is a thermostat replacement then that's likely worth repairing, but other repairs may not be as simple or make sense financially. Try to follow the 30% rule and talk to your licensed plumber about options.
The Slippery Slope of Repairs
Sometimes with repairs, fixing one problem simply reveals another issue. A bad thermostat, for example, has to be repaired before you could determine that the heating elements aren't working. This can lead to a slippery slope of one repair after another which is why we don't recommend beginning repairs on older heaters. The older the heater, or if it is in bad shape, the greater the risk that after repairing one issue you'll just find another.
Consequently, the initial quote for a repair made by any plumber should be remembered as a good faith estimate based on what can be seen to be wrong. Once that initial issue is resolved, there may be additional repair quotes needed that can quickly skyrocket the total cost of restoring your malfunctioning water heater.
Once outside of the warranty period, if a water heater plumber recommends replacement, take that recommendation seriously. If your plumber expresses concerns over implementing repairs, they're doing so from years of experience seeing other issues crop up that will require attention too.
Still Unsure Whether to Repair or Replace Your Heater?
If you're struggling with whether to repair or replace your water heater, talk to our licensed plumbers. We'll help you evaluate what options are best for your water heater. Contact us today for your free repair assessment.