The water heater is one of the most essential yet often overlooked appliances in any home.

For many homeowners, it’s out of sight – out of mind until it stops working or when there’s an unexpected cold shower. However, being proactive about your water heater’s maintenance and replacement can save you both money and stress over time.

Understanding the signs that indicate it's time to replace your water heater is crucial. An old or malfunctioning water heater can lead to rising energy bills, frequent repairs, and even property damage.

Here are some key indicators that it may be time to consider replacing your water heater:

No Hot Water: A Clear Indicator for Replacement

One of the most evident signs that your water heater may need replacing is the lack of hot water in your home. This can be frustrating and inconvenient, affecting everything from your morning shower to household chores like dishwashing and laundry.

Strange Noises: What They Mean for Your Water Heater

While it’s normal for a tank-style water heater to produce some sound as it heats and cools, unusual noises can indicate potential problems. If you begin to hear loud rumbling, popping, or high-pitched squealing sounds coming from

1^st Sign: Your Water Heater Is Too Old

And how old is too old you ask? You really should replace electric water heaters after 10 years and gas water heaters after 8. But what if you don’t know how old your water heater is? Well, the year and month of production is on the serial number, but it’s not always obvious.

In the case of Bradford White Water Heaters, one of our favorites, the first two characters of the serial number represent the year and month of manufacture, but it’s coded as follows. Other brands, use different codes, but a quick online search will help you solve the puzzle.

2^nd Sign: The Tank is Rusted

If hot water comes out of the faucet rusty or you see rust around the water inlet or pressure relief valve on the water heater, there’s a good chance the inside of the tank is rusted. Rusty water, in and of itself, isn’t great, it’s also a harbinger of leaks which means you’ll need to replace your water heater soon.

3^rd Sign: The Water Heater is Making Noise

Like rust, noise is never a great sign. More often than not, the cause

Almost every drop of water you use goes through your water heater.

It sits there while it’s getting hot then it flows out when summoned.

Because unfiltered water is almost never perfectly clean, sediment tends to build up at the bottom of your water heater, reducing its efficiency.

Your water heater is an essential part of your home’s plumbing system, protect it by clearing all filters and flushing out these sediments once or twice per year.

Polybutylene is an inexpensive, flexible plastic that was used for residential piping from 1978 to 1995.

It was found to be extremely vulnerable to ruptures, which led to a class-action settlement and the material is no longer accepted by U.S. building codes.

Polybutylene pipes can be blue, black, white or gray, but they always have the letters “PB” on a printed label on the pipe. The easiest way to determine whether you have polybutylene pipes is to check the pipes near the water heater, the sink connections or at the main shut-off valve or water meter.

If you have polybutylene piping, we highly recommend that you replace it as soon as possible.

Professional Plumbing & Design has the experience and equipment needed to repipe water lines and drain lines under mobile homes, in crawlspace homes, overhead in slab home attics, and under the floors of multiple floor homes and condominiums.

For more information, call the professionals at 941-355-5400 or visit

Hello Friends, Is spring a time to slow down or speed up?

The milder weather certainly gives us a chance to get outdoors more often, take in fresh breezes and enjoy the green and blooming landscape. It’s great to relax and recharge. But being busy has its advantages, too! That’s why we’re so grateful to our customers for allowing us to serve you. Every day we have a chance to help our friends is time well spent.

Our winter was packed with opportunities to help folks like you with fast plumbing repairs and routine service. Some of you are enjoying the start of this season with a new, highly efficient water heater to keep you and yours clean, or you’re enjoying beautiful new fixtures and other upgrades that make your home more comfortable. We’re glad to help. Just let us know if you need us.

Sincerely,
Andy Wittman

The answer is simple; your old water heater may be costing you more than think.

From baths and showers to dishwashing and laundry, we depend on our water heaters more than we might realize. In a typical home, the electric water heater accounts for approximately 14% of the total energy bill.

That Water Heater is the second largest energy consumer in a typical home – second only to the home heating and cooling system.

Just like in the HVAC industry, the plumbing industry has been trending towards more environmentally friendly designs with significantly improved energy efficiency ratings. The GeoSpring Water Heater by GE, for example, uses 62% less energy than a standard 50-gallon water heater. With that kind of savings, it's easy to see how a new water heater can pay for itself in no time.

Water Heaters are not a one-size-fits-all appliance. There are a variety of factors to consider when choosing a new water heater and that is why it is important to have a knowledgeable and trustworthy professional to guide you through the selection process. The right water heater will add value to your home, reduce your energy bills, and add convenience for years to come, but

Professional Plumbing and Design can install any type of water heater, but we find more people are choosing Hybrid water heaters due to their high efficiency, and savings on electric bills.