7 Signs Your Water Heater is About to Fail

There are few things worse than waking up on a cold morning, stepping into the shower, and being greeted by ice-cold water. While it seems sudden, water heaters rarely quit without warning.

Most water heaters last between 8 and 12 years. If you know what to look for, you can spot the signs of failure weeks or months in advance, giving you time to schedule a replacement before disaster strikes.

Age is the number one predictor of failure. Check the manufacturer's sticker on the upper portion of the water heater. The first two numbers of the serial number often indicate the year of manufacture (e.g., '14' means 2014). If it's past the decade mark, it's living on borrowed time.

If hot water comes out of your faucets looking brown or rusty, but your cold water is clear, the inside of your tank is likely corroding. Once rust starts, leaks are inevitable.

As water heaters age, sediment builds up on the bottom of the tank. As the sediment is heated and reheated, it eventually hardens. This causes loud banging or rumbling noises when the heater is running.

This sediment layer forces the unit to work harder, leading to overheating and tank leaks.

Moisture around the base of your tank is a critical red flag. While it could be a loose valve, it is often a sign of a fracture in the tank itself due to expansion and contraction. Metal expands when heated; over thousands of cycles, the metal fatigues and cracks.

Are your showers getting shorter? If your unit can no longer keep up with demand, or if the water never gets truly hot, the heating element or burner is failing due to age or sediment buildup.

If your unit is under 6 years old, a repair (like replacing a heating element) is usually cost-effective. However, if your unit is over 10 years old, putting money into repairs is often a waste. A new, energy-efficient model will save you money on utilities and prevent potential water damage.