Water heater guides

Warning signs of a failing water heater

• Age. Most tank heaters last 8 to 12 years. Past that, plan for a replacement.
• Rusty hot water. If only the hot side is discolored, the inside of the tank may be corroding.
• Noise. Popping and rumbling usually mean sediment buildup.
• Moisture at the base. Check whether it’s a fitting, the relief valve, or the tank itself.
• Less hot water. Often a failed element on electric tanks, or sediment taking up space.

Repair or replace?

A simple rule of thumb: if the tank is leaking, replace it. If it isn’t, look at age and the cost of the repair. A failed element or thermocouple on a five-year-old heater is an easy repair. A failed gas control valve on a 12-year-old tank usually isn’t worth the money, because something else is likely to fail soon.

Tank or tankless?

A tank heater is cheaper to buy and install and is simple to service. A tankless heater costs more up front but uses less energy, takes less space, and doesn’t run out the way a tank does. The deciding factors are usually your gas line size, venting options, and electrical capacity. More on tankless.

Heat pump water heaters are a third option. They look like a tank but use much less electricity, and they suit garages and utility rooms with space around them.

Choosing the right size

Size a tank for the busiest hour of your day, not for the number of bathrooms. Roughly: one or two people are often fine with 30 to 40 gallons, three or four people usually want about 50, and larger households may need more or a tankless unit. The first-hour rating on the yellow EnergyGuide label tells you how much hot water a tank can deliver in an hour.

Goldsboro-area water and weather

Inside Goldsboro, water comes from the Neuse River and is treated at the city plant. Across most of Wayne County, it comes from wells, through Wayne Water District, another water district, a town system, or a private well. Well water in the area tends to carry some iron and run slightly acidic. Iron settles in the tank as reddish sediment, and acidic water eats through the anode rod faster. Annual flushing and an anode rod check every few years are the two best things you can do for a tank.

Most homes in Wayne County heat with electricity, and propane is common outside town, so electric and propane water heaters are everywhere here. Piedmont Natural Gas serves parts of Goldsboro.

The Neuse River has flooded Goldsboro and the towns along it several times, most notably in Hurricanes Floyd, Matthew, and Florence. Any heater that sat in floodwater should be inspected before you turn it back on.

For local details, see the pages for Mount Olive,Seven Springs,Pikeville, and our otherservice areas.