Symptoms That Your Water Heater Is Going Bad

Lack of Hot Water

• A faulty water heater may still warm up your shower, but the hot water will not last as long as in previous years. A lack of sustained hot water in your shower may be a symptom of a bad gas burner or electrical components within your water heater. Eroded or cracking dip tubes in the water heater may also be the root cause. Paying to replace these parts if your water heater is less than seven years old is a smart financial investment. In an older model, it may be cheaper to simply replace the entire unit rather than look for replacement parts that may no longer be in production.

Dirty Water From Shower

• Dirty-looking water coming from your bathtub's faucet or shower also can be a symptom of a dying water heater. Minerals from ground water and other particulate matter can build up in a water tank over the life of the unit. Excessive amounts of sediment can clog the tank and inhibit the system's ability to heat water. Check with your neighbors to make sure your water problem is occurring only in your home and is not a symptom of a larger issue, including a water line break or a damaged community well.

Leaking Water/Odd Smells

• Examining the area around your water tank can reveal signs and symptoms of the tank's imminent failure. Damaged seals or corroding metal can cause water to leak from the tank and pool around the base of the unit. If the tank is rusting, you will notice a copper tinge to the water surrounding the outside. Rust inside the tank may also cause the water to take on a metallic odor. Repairing the tank may be impossible depending on the extent of damage to the system's internal components.

Tank Produces Strange Sounds

• A failing water heater may make strange sounds as electrical components turn on and off suddenly or operate outside standard parameters. A loud swirling noise from inside the water tank may be indicative of damaged dip tubes. A water heater with damaged dip tubes will have a diminished ability to force cold water to the bottom of the tank and force heated water to the top.