Pennsylvania Homeowners: Do This If Your Water Heater Breaks

It may not be the coldest winter in memory here in Pennsylvania, but nothing is worse than an icy shower. If your water heater is on the fritz, consider your options.

Before you throw out the cold bath water and splurge on a full water heater replacement, talk to a professional about possible repairs. Here's what you need to know.

Repairing Your Water Heater

Water heaters last an average of about 10 years, but there are cases of heaters lasting far longer and, unfortunately, far less. But before you order a replacement, make sure to weigh the cost of fixing what's broken.

There are multiple factors that can cause a water heater to fall into disrepair. Sediment deposits can gather at the bottom of the tank and cause popping sounds when the burners ignite. Or, you may need to replace a broken thermostat or broken dip tube, which can mix incoming cold water with outgoing hot water. You might experience water that is too hot, too cold or worse.

Uncontrolled thermal expansion, for example, can cause dangerous pressure levels and burst pipes. For this reason, repair jobs are best left to the professionals. Talk to a contractor about how much a repair will cost versus a full replacement. And if you opt for a repair, ask how much life they expect to get out of your hot water heater so you can weigh the pros and cons.

Need to repair your water heater? Contact a pro today.

Replacing Water Heaters

If you’ve decided a full replacement is the best or only option, you have a few considerations to make. First is whether you want a tankless system or hot water tank. Tankless systems are longer lasting, more energy-efficient, and often cheaper.

What’s not to love? Tankless systems can have wildly varying temperatures if they do not have the proper flow rate. Hot water tanks, on the other hand, can offer superior performance, depending on if the tank is sufficiently insulated.

You also might want to consider an energy-efficient water heater. And, you’ll have to decide if you want your heater to run off of gas, oil, electric or solar power. Installing a new hot water heater is a great time to reevaluate these options to find the best solution for your home and lifestyle. A local professional can help determine what is best for your particular needs.

HomeAdvisor is a Patch promotional partner.