Rust at the Base of Your Water Heater? How Tony's Plumbing Can Help

So you’ve spotted rust at the base of your water heater… How does this happen? And now what do you do to fix it? 

The cause of rust on your water heater can happen when there are loose connections. If the rust is on the bottom of your tank, then it might be that the interior liner has rusted. Your hot water tank has a part called the anode rod that pushes impurities out of the water. If it fails, it can cause the liner to rust, and the bottom of your tank to rust. If you see that the bottom of your tank is rusted, then you should call us at Tony’s Plumbing to get a replacement. With a rusted bottom, it will eventually fail and flood your home with water. If you wait, you’ll have water damage on top of the hot water tank that needs to be replaced.

Here are a few indicators that your hot water tank might be about to fail:
Rusty water - As discussed before, your tank is corroding and that is why your water has rust in it. You may be able to tell there is rust in the water, if your bathroom fixtures are stained, your clothes are getting stained in the washer, or your water has a strange taste.

Lack of hot water - If your tank is struggling to keep up with heating the water in your home, this can be an indicator that there may be a bigger issue.

Odd noises - If your anode rod fails, and the rust builds up, then it takes longer to heat water. This causes banging sounds coming from the water heater.

Old age - Water heaters are typically good for 10 years, depending on the model. Older tanks are more likely to fail. If you have an older water heater, it’s time to start thinking about replacing it. Consider a tankless option for your new water heater. These have multiple benefits over a hot water tank, including not having a rusty bottom that can flood your home with gallons of water.
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Consider annual maintenance from Tony’s Plumbing, so that we can react quickly to any potential problems, like a rusty water heater, or we can prevent this from happening. If you’re ready for a new tank or an upgrade, we can help you with that too!

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