No matter the temperature outside, enjoying a hot shower or bath is something we all look forward to at the end of a long day. Out of all our modern conveniences, your hot water heater is probably one of the most important, and you likely can’t imagine life without it. So, what happens when it reaches the end of its service life?
You need your water heater to work year round, whether its 35 degrees or 105 degrees outside. That means it can take on a lot of wear and tear over the years. And because you’re likely not a plumbing professional, recognizing the signs of a water heater in distress can be a bit tricky. So below, we’ve listed some of the signs that suggest it’s time for a new hot water heater. Keep reading to find out more!
Now, we aren’t saying that there aren’t things you can’t do yourself. In fact, there are plenty of plumbing tasks that you should be pretty equipped to handle. For instance, you more than likely know how to whip out a toilet plunger and get your clogged toilet to flush. You also probably know what substances should and shouldn’t go down your drains. However, there are just some jobs that are better left to the professionals.
There are so many reasons why homeowners don’t regularly contact their local problems. Often, they are unaware that there might be something waiting to happen so they end up waiting until disaster strikes to make a call. Of course, it is easier to be blissfully unaware, however, holding off on annual plumbing inspection and maintenance can result in a catastrophic plumbing emergency!
We get it. You’re not going to be calling our plumbers just to check up on them. And that’s fine. We know that you appreciate us, but it’s just not that kind of relationship. That being said, we are going to take issue if you’re not calling us when the need for a plumber arises. And after today’s post, “Well, I didn’t realize that I really needed to call a professional plumber” will no longer be a valid excuse!
If you peruse online articles regarding the protection of residential plumbing systems, you’ll probably notice that there is a seasonal shift in focus once the winter months begin to approach. “How to Keep Pipes from Bursting this Winter,” “Preventing Frozen Pipes,” and so on. However, we here in Texas deal with more extreme summer heat than we do winter cold. That is why we’re reclaiming the seasonal plumbing topics for ourselves, and putting a hot-weather spin on them!
Leaks and clogs are the two most common plumbing problems faced by homeowners, and the usual reaction is to simply take care of the problem yourself. Cleansers and snakes are available at any hardware store to deal with clogs, while enterprising do-it-yourselfers might take a stab at repairing plumbing leaks on their own. In most cases, this is a huge mistake, and you would be better off calling in a professional plumber to handle the situation. Why? There are several reasons. 
Here in Bandera, TX, we have a number of households that live away from civic water systems, and that need to get their water from wells or other private sources. This is in keeping with Texas’s independent spirit, and allows rural residents to get safe reliable water while still enjoying life on their own terms. But that independence means acting to ensure that your well water is properly filtered, and remains free of germs, bacteria, hard water deposits, and other issues. 
Rural Texas residents must often account for their own water supply and other key factors to a functional home. Civic water systems simply won’t extend that far into the country, leaving rural residents to rely on wells and other private sources. This is in keeping with that Texas spirit of rugged independence, and our team is ready to help ensure that your home has everything it needs to make it as self-sufficient as possible. 
We deal with a lot of rural clients in our part of Texas, most of which rely on well water or similar sources for their water supply. That can work well, and enterprising homeowners know how to keep such plumbing systems maintained. But wells are subject to the forces of drought and groundwater contamination far more than civic water supplies. 
