From washing dishes to taking a relaxing shower, hot water is essential to your daily routine. Therefore, keep an eye out for signs that it might not be around much longer. According to Oehl Plumbing, Heating, Electric & Air Conditioning of Amana, IA, there are many potential red flags of a failing water heater. Use the following list from these water heater repair experts to stay ahead of a sudden breakdown. 

3 Signs Your Water Heater Is Struggling

1. Dirty Water

When you fill up the bathtub with warm water or turn on the hot tap before washing dishes, look at the color of the liquid coming out. If it’s discolored in any way, especially with a brownish tint, there may be rust in your supply. In most cases, this is caused by an old water heater that is rusting inside. Not only is this harmful for your family, but it also indicates the tank is getting weaker and may soon spring a leak.

2. Strange Noises

To identify this issue, go into your basement or garage and stand next to your water heater right after turning on the hot tap or starting a load of laundry. If you hear any gurgling, popping, or banging noises, your tank may be filled with sediment, which makes noises by moving around once heated up. In this case, your tank will need to be drained an inspected by a water heater repair professional, and possibly replaced altogether.

3. Frequent Repairs

If you’ve made numerous calls to a heating or plumbing service over the past year for issues with your water heater, consider your appliance’s neediness as a red flag. Whether it runs out of hot water after just one shower, takes a long time to heat water up, or causes your water temperature to fluctuate when the knobs are stationary, it may be time to call it quits with your water heater. If it’s more than 10 years old and requiring frequent repairs, the need for a replacement is almost certain.

If you’ve encountered any of these issues with your water heater, call Oehl Plumbing, Heating, Electric & Air Conditioning for help. They offer their wide breadth of services to clients throughout North Liberty, Coralville, and Iowa City, but you can call (319) 622-3636 to find out if you’re in their service area. For more information about their water heater repair services and other specialties, visit their website.