In 280 B.C.E., the people of the island city of Rhodes constructed a 100-foot tall statue of iron and bronze at the entrance to their harbor to celebrate a victory over their enemy, the King of Cyprus. Although a monumental feat of engineering, the Colossus of Rhodes survived for a mere 56 years. The official cause of its destruction was an earthquake. But rust must have contributed to its downfall. If the people of Rhodes had kept up with yearly preventive maintenance from a trusted and licensed technician, perhaps we would still have the Colossus of Rhodes to admire today.
Is it fair to compare your home’s water heater to the Colossus of Rhodes? No, because your water heater is still here and the Colossus is not. However, even if you’ve given your water heater the finest maintenance, it will eventually reach a point of deterioration where it will need replacement. The best warning sign of this: rust.
For help replacing your rusted water heater with a new system, contact G&S Heating, Cooling & Electrical, Inc. We have more then thirty years of experience with water heaters in Lynnwood, WA.
Rust and your water heater
The average lifespan of a residential water heater is approximately 15 years, which most should reach with annual inspections and tune-ups. maintenance technicians will make sure the anode rod that protects the water tank from corrosion is replaced whenever needed.
When your heater starts to approach the 15 year mark, pay attention to possible signs that rust has taken hold inside the tank. This will usually happen because of years of exposure to sediment and chemicals that have entered the tank. The biggest warning sign that rust has started is discolored water coming from the hot water taps. Call in a technician right away to look over the system and see if it needs replacement.
Leaks occurring around the water heater are also signs that rust is afflicting the system, corroding away connectors and causing leaking. A single leak may not mean the system is beyond repair, but multiple ones indicate the damage has spread far enough that a new installation is the best solution.
The replacement water heater
Here’s the good news: when you replace a rusted water heater, you have an array of excellent options for a new one. You can install another storage water heater, or you could invest in a tankless system that will prevent you from running out of hot water and also help you save energy. Or you could consider a solar water heater, which is often the first step people take when they want to convert their house over to solar energy. Talk to your local water heater expert about the best choices for your home.
G&S Heating, Cooling & Electrical, Inc. can offer you superb service for your water heaters in Lynnwood, WA: both the outgoing and the incoming one. We were too late for the Colossus of Rhodes by a few millennia, but we’re ready to help your water heater.
