Is It Time for Water Heater Replacement?
Making the Right Decision for Your Home or Property
A popping sound coming from your basement. Water pooling around the base of your tank. Showers that never quite get hot enough. Most homeowners notice these problems but delay water heater replacement until their system fails completely. Usually, during a holiday gathering or on the coldest winter morning.
Knowing when to replace your water heater saves you from emergency calls, water damage, and flooded basements. This guide covers the warning signs, decision factors, and replacement options for your home or property so you know when it’s time to call professionals like Dries Plumbing.
How Long Do Water Heaters Last?
With proper maintenance, most traditional tank water heaters last 8 to 12 years. Tankless systems can extend beyond that, but they’re not immune to problems.
Hard water is what causes the most damage here. The mineral-heavy water in Central Illinois creates sediment buildup in your tank, reducing heating efficiency and causing that distinctive popping sound many homeowners ignore until it’s too late.
A water softener is the single best investment for extending equipment life. It reduces sediment accumulation and protects heating elements. At Dries Plumbing, we test water hardness so you understand what’s happening inside your equipment.
Learn more about our water heater and water softener replacement services.
Warning Signs You Need Water Heater Replacement
Some problems can be fixed. Others mean your water heater’s time is up.
- Water leaking around the base. This is urgent. If you see water pooling beneath your unit, the tank has failed. Tanks can’t be repaired once they leak. Ignoring this leads to flooded basements and damaged drywall.
- Popping or rumbling sounds. These noises mean sediment buildup at the bottom of your tank. Hard water minerals create a barrier between the heating element and water, making your system work harder than it should.
- Rusty or discolored water. Brown, yellow, or rust-colored water from your hot taps means internal corrosion. Once rust begins inside the tank, it spreads.
- An older water heater with declining performance. If your water heater is a decade old and you’re experiencing lukewarm showers, longer heating times, or inconsistent temperatures, it has probably reached the end of its life. Repairs at this age rarely make financial sense.
Should You Repair or Replace?
Here’s how we help customers answer this frustrating question:
Repair makes sense when your unit is under 7-8 years old, you’re dealing with a single issue, the brand has available parts, and the tank itself isn’t leaking. Most components can be replaced: heating elements, thermostats, and pressure relief valves.
Replacement is smarter when the tank is leaking, your unit is 10+ years old, multiple components are failing, or it’s a cheaper brand where parts are hard to find.
The costliest mistake? Cranking up the temperature when your water isn’t getting hot enough. This creates dangerous pressure inside the tank that can lead to catastrophic failure. This MythBusters video shows what happens when a water heater explodes from pressure buildup.
Tank vs. Tankless: Choosing Your Replacement
Once you’ve decided on replacement, you’ll choose between traditional tank and tankless systems.
Traditional tank water heaters cost less upfront and install more easily. For most Peoria homes, we recommend AO Smith or Bradford White tank heaters. Both come with a six-year manufacturer’s warranty and a one-year workmanship warranty when purchased through us.
Tankless water heaters cost more initially but deliver unlimited hot water on demand with better energy efficiency. The tradeoff? Central Illinois hard water requires regular descaling to prevent mineral buildup. For tankless installations, we primarily recommend Navien systems because they handle hard water conditions better than competitors.
Choosing between them requires an honest conversation about your needs. How many people live in your home? How much hot water do you use? Do you have a water softener? Property managers overseeing apartment buildings or hotels may need multiple tankless units sized for peak usage.
Explore our commercial plumbing services.
What Affects Replacement Cost?
Water heater replacement cost varies based on several factors.
- Size and capacity depend on your household and usage patterns. A family of six needs significantly more capacity than a couple. Undersizing saves money upfront, but leaves you frustrated when hot water runs out.
- Fuel type matters. Gas water heaters cost more to install than electric models due to venting requirements and gas line connections, but they’re often cheaper to operate long-term.
- Installation complexity increases when you’re moving the unit location, rerouting pipes, upgrading electrical service, or modifying gas supply lines.
- Brand quality and warranty coverage affect both purchase price and long-term value. When you purchase through Dries, you get a one-year warranty on our installation, and we manage manufacturer warranties for you through our supplier.
- Proper sizing matters most. We evaluate your water usage patterns, number of bathrooms, simultaneous fixture use, and long-term plans before recommending a system.
Schedule Your Water Heater Assessment
Don’t wait until you’re standing in a cold shower or mopping water off your basement floor. The warning signs we’ve covered give you time to plan replacement on your schedule instead of during an emergency.
When you contact Dries Plumbing, we visit your property, inspect your setup, test your water if needed, and provide recommendations based on 80+ years of experience.
Most replacements can be scheduled within one to two weeks. Our team arrives with fully stocked trucks, completes installation efficiently, and trains you on your new system before we leave.
Whether you’re a homeowner planning ahead, a property manager responsible for multiple buildings, or a facilities director maintaining commercial properties, Dries Plumbing delivers the expertise and reliability Central Illinois has trusted since 1933.
Ready to solve your water heater problems? Contact us today to schedule your assessment and get an honest evaluation of repair versus replacement.