After a long, hard run you turn on the shower, excited to feel the hot water pulsing down on your tired body. You pull back the curtain and step inside…

…and immediately jump back out again, your skin still stinging like thousands of cold needles have pierced it. There is no hot water. There isn’t even lukewarm water to make showering bearable. In fact, we often don’t think about how often we use hot water in our homes until it is suddenly unavailable to us. From dishwashing to clothes washing, bathing to cooking, what was once considered a luxury is a modern necessity for our daily lives.

But what if you could read the signs that your water heater is on the brink of death long before you need to replace it? Now you can.

Don’t try this at home. Call the professionals (like us!) for water heater service and repair needs.

1. There isn’t enough hot water.

Unless you have a flash water heater, there is never enough hot water with teenagers in the house. However, one of the most common early hot water heater failure signs is a sudden decline in the amount of hot water available. This is largely due to mineral deposits settling in the bottom of the tank. The typical hot water heater holds between 30 and 50 gallons of water at a time. The burner at the bottom of the tank heats the water throughout the tank, but it also causes minerals in the water to separate and settle at the bottom of the storage tank. As these deposits build up, they prevent heat from the burner from reaching the rest of the hot water, reducing the readily available supply.

2. Your hot water heater is noisy.

If your hot water heater is making popping noises like popcorn or banging noises, it may be on its way out. This is also due to mineral deposits at the bottom of the tank. As the water heats, these deposits cause the tank to overheat and make noise. If left alone, this constant overheating will eventually cause the tank to fail and leak. Which brings us to…

3. Your hot water heater is leaking.

If your hot water heater is leaking, call us right now. You could be facing a dangerous situation.

Mineral deposits that cause a reduction in available hot water or a noisy water heater can commonly be repaired by a certified professional. However, once your hot water heater begins leaking out of the bottom, it is time to replace the entire system. In fact, if your hot water heater is leaking, it important to act quickly to avoid having your appliance flood your home. Call Farnen and Dermer immediately for more instructions on how to drain your hot water heater and prevent a potential flooding issue.

Whether your hot water heater is meeting a slow demise or needs to be replaced quickly, the professionals at Farnen and Dermer can help. With decades of experience, our certified tradesmen can repair or replace your hot water heater in no time. Avoid cold showers and protect your home. Call today for your free in-home estimate.