5 Signs Your Water Heater Won't Survive a Fairfax Winter

Nobody thinks about their water heater until the morning it quits, and in Northern Virginia that morning tends to come in winter.

Here's why. When it's cold outside, the water coming into your home is colder too. Your water heater has to work harder and run longer to bring that icy water up to temperature. If your tank is already tired, winter is often what pushes it over the edge.

The good news: water heaters usually give you warning signs first. Here are five worth watching for.

1. It's getting up there in years

Many tank water heaters last somewhere around 8 to 12 years, depending on the model, your water, and how well it's been maintained. If yours is in that range or older, it's worth keeping a closer eye on it.

How to check the age: look for the label on the side of the tank. Many brands, including Rheem and A.O. Smith, encode the manufacture date in the serial number. If you're not sure how to read it, snap a photo of the label. We're happy to take a look when we're out.

A lot of homes around Fairfax, Burke and Vienna still have the water heater the previous owner installed. If you just bought your home, it's one of the first things worth checking.

2. Rumbling, popping or banging noises

Over time, minerals in your water settle at the bottom of the tank as sediment. When the burner or element heats the water, it has to work through that layer, and you hear it as popping, rumbling or knocking.

A little noise isn't an emergency. But a heater that's getting louder is working harder than it should, and sediment build-up can shorten its life.

3. Rusty or discolored hot water

If your hot water looks rusty or brownish but your cold water looks clear, the inside of the tank may be corroding. Tanks have a part called an anode rod that helps protect them from rust. Once it's used up, the tank itself can start to corrode.

Rusty hot water is a sign to get it checked soon, before the corrosion turns into a leak.

4. Water around the base of the tank

Any water around your water heater deserves a look. Sometimes it's a loose fitting or a valve that's an easy fix. But water coming from the tank itself usually means the tank is failing, and that won't fix itself.

What you can do right away: if you see water, check where it's coming from, keep the area clear, and call us. If the leak is getting worse, turning off the cold-water supply to the heater can help limit the damage until we get there.

5. Hot water runs out faster than it used to

If showers are going lukewarm sooner than they used to, the heater may be losing efficiency. Sediment taking up space in the tank, a failing heating element (on electric models), or a worn part can all cause it. In winter, with colder incoming water, you'll notice it even more.

When to call a plumber

Call us if you notice:

• Water coming from the tank itself
• Rusty hot water
• Noises that are getting worse
• No hot water at all, or hot water that runs out quickly
• A water heater that's around 10 years old or more and showing any of the signs above

Safety first: if you have a gas water heater and smell gas, don't try to fix anything. Leave the house and call your gas utility from outside.

Repair or replace?

It depends on the age of the heater, what's wrong, and the condition of the tank. Sometimes a repair is all you need. When the tank itself is leaking or badly corroded, replacement is usually the better choice.

When we come out, we'll diagnose it on-site, explain your options honestly, and give you a written price before any work begins. If replacement makes sense, we install tank and tankless, gas and electric water heaters, mostly Rheem and A.O. Smith. We handle the permit and haul the old unit away if needed.

Don't wait for the cold shower

If your water heater is showing any of these signs, it's much easier to deal with it now than on a freezing morning with no hot water.

Call Plum Pro at (202) 557-9978, open 7 days, 9 AM–7 PM, or request service online. Same-day service in most cases across Fairfax and Northern Virginia.