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.

Greenville-area water and weather

Greenville Utilities draws water from the Tar River, supplements it with deep wells, and treats it with ozone and chloramines. Chloramines are a safe, long-lasting disinfectant, but they can break down rubber parts like faucet washers, valve seats, and the seals in a water heater’s relief valve and drain valve more quickly than plain chlorine. On an older heater, those small parts are often the first thing to start dripping.

Outside the city, homes may be on a town system, a water corporation such as Bell Arthur, Eastern Pines, or Stokes Regional, or a private well. Well water usually carries more iron and minerals, which means more sediment in the tank. Annual flushing and an anode rod check every few years are the two best things you can do for a heater either way.

Most homes in Greenville heat with electricity. Greenville Utilities supplies natural gas in Greenville, Winterville, and Ayden, and Piedmont Natural Gas serves Farmville. Propane is more common out in the county.

The Tar River has flooded Greenville several times, most notably during Hurricanes Floyd and Matthew. Any heater that sat in floodwater should be inspected before you turn it back on.

For local details, see the pages for Winterville,Ayden,Farmville, and our otherservice areas.