Why Doesn’t My Old Water Heater Make as Much Hot Water as It Used To?

Have you noticed that you’re running out of hot water more frequently than you used to, even though the amount of hot water you use hasn’t changed that much?

The reason could be that you have sediment buildup in your tank.

As water heaters age, minerals, bacteria, and tank rust can accumulate at the bottom of your tank and create such problems as:

• Forming an insulating barrier between the burner and the tank water (this will make it more costly to heat the water and eventually cause heat-related damage to the tank)
• Cultivating corrosive anaerobic bacteria
• Jamming open check values
• Causing the recirculation pump to stick and eventually burn out
• Causing loud noises (sometimes enough noise to annoy or even frighten people)

The short of it: sediment buildup is something you really want to avoid.

Although you can use water softeners to minimize sediment (as long as you keep an eye on your anode rod, which will corrode much more quickly if you soften your water), the best solution is to have professional maintenance for your water heater every year.

Routine maintenance will help our technicians catch problems early – which helps you minimize costly repairs and avoid permanent damage to your equipment.

Don’t suffer through cold showers this fall and winter! If your water heater isn’t performing as well as it used to, contact us today – we’ll check out the bottom of your tank and get to the bottom of the problem!