There are few commercial buildings that can get along without a water heating system, even if just for their bathrooms. For many enterprises, the water heater is an essential component, such as in restaurants and throughout the hospitality industry. Commercial water heaters must be reliable, powerful, and have the water volume necessary to handle the needs of the building.
Eventually, all the strain placed on a commercial water heater will wear it down past the point where standard repairs and regular maintenance can do anything to reverse the deterioration. At that point, you’ll need the water heater (or one of the water heaters if your building relies on multiple ones) replaced.
Knowing When It’s Time for a New Commercial Water Heater
You don’t want to replace a water heater before its time since that’s a waste of money. Pay close attention to indications one of the water heaters is beginning to fail, and then call on our plumbers for an opinion. They’ll examine the system and give you honest advice about the best step to take: repairs or a replacement.
These are major warning signs you may have a dying water heater:
- A drop in hot water volume – Are parts of your business running out of hot water too early? If the water heater was professionally installed, you shouldn’t encounter insufficient amounts of hot water to meet your needs; this is something professional installers are extremely careful about. So when it seems your business can’t get enough hot water, it points toward a dying water heater.
- Humid conditions in the water heater room – If you walk into the room where the water heater is stored (we recommend doing an occasional check like this) and notice it feels humid when it shouldn’t be, it’s often warning that the water heater has leaks somewhere. Make a visual check if there’s water around the tank unit and if there is you need to call for professionals right away. If the water heater is leaking because of corrosion, it’s best to replace it.
- Discoloration in the water – Have you heard reports from people in the building of reddish discoloration when the hot water comes on? This indicates corrosion starting up in the tank or a build-up of sediment. Sediment can be flushed out, but a corroded tank usually means the water heater is finished.
- Rumbling sounds – When making those checks, pay attention to the noise the water heater makes. It shouldn’t make much noise at all, so when you hear something like a rumbling noise coming from it, this often indicates problems like limescale inside the tank. Often the tank will need to be replaced.
- Basic age – Check the warranty on the water heater, which will give you an idea of how long it should last. If the water heater is over its manufacturer’s service life estimate, it’s time to start looking for a replacement before the system turns inefficient and develops a high risk of a breakdown.
We provide commercial plumbing for Bethesda, MD throughout Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. We have built our company on the principles of honesty and integrity, and you can count on us to provide the best advice for your company’s continued success.
Mallick Plumbing & Heating is the Service Contractor of Choice for your commercial and residential plumbing needs.