When a water heater is telling you something
A conventional tank water heater gives warning before it goes. Rusty or discolored hot water, a metallic taste, popping or rumbling from the bottom of the tank, water pooling at the base, or a recovery time that keeps getting longer are all signs the tank is nearing the end. The rumbling in particular is sediment that has hardened on the bottom of the tank, which is a common story in an area with hard water, and it makes the burner or element work harder to heat the same amount of water.
Age matters more than anything else. A tank that has been in service a long time and has started showing any of the above is not a candidate for one more repair. It is a candidate for replacement on your schedule rather than on its own, which is a much better outcome than replacement at midnight with a wet basement.
Tank or tankless
A conventional tank heater keeps a set volume of water hot and ready. It is straightforward, it is usually cheaper to install, and it will run out if the demand is heavy enough. A tankless unit heats water as it flows, so it does not run out, it takes up far less space, and it generally lasts longer, but it costs more to install and it has to be sized correctly for the fixture load and the incoming water temperature.
Incoming water temperature is why sizing matters in Indiana. Groundwater is colder here in February than it is in August, and a tankless unit sized against summer conditions will disappoint in winter. The right size depends on how many fixtures need to run at once and how cold the water is coming in.
Water quality matters too. Hard water is rough on both kinds of heater, and it is particularly rough on a tankless heat exchanger. If the house has hard water, treating it protects the heater as much as it protects the fixtures. That is one reason Brenneco does both water heaters and water treatment.
What the work involves
A replacement is not only setting a new unit in place. It includes correct venting, a properly sized and supported temperature and pressure relief discharge, correct gas or electrical connection, expansion control where required, and connections that will not be the weak point later. A tankless conversion adds gas line sizing, venting and often a condensate path, which is why a tankless install is a different job from swapping a tank.
All Brenneco technicians are trained and licensed, and the same crew that installs the unit is the crew that comes back to service it.
Any hour, any day
Brenneco offers 24/7/365 service across Lafayette, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County and the surrounding counties. If this cannot wait until morning, call (765) 448-6190.
