5 signs your hot water cylinder needs replacing
Rusty water, banging pipes and rising power bills, spot the warning signs early before a full failure.
1. Rusty or discoloured hot water
Cold water runs clear but hot water comes out with a brown tinge? The sacrificial anode inside the tank has been used up and the steel liner is starting to corrode. Once that begins it's a matter of when, not if.
2. Puddles or rust marks around the base
Any moisture at the base of a cylinder is a red flag. Modern cylinders very rarely fail dry, they weep first. Catching this early avoids a burst tank flooding a laundry or garage.
3. Loud banging or rumbling when it fires
Sediment build-up in the bottom of the tank traps water underneath it. As the burner heats up the trapped water flashes to steam and hammers around inside, the classic 'kettling' sound.
4. Not enough hot water at the end of a shower
If your morning shower has been getting shorter, the dip tube may have failed and you're mixing incoming cold with outgoing hot. Sometimes fixable, often a sign the tank is on borrowed time.
5. It's over 12 years old
Warranties run 5 to 10 years for a reason. If you're pushing past 12 years, budgeting for a planned replacement is much less stressful than an emergency swap on a Sunday night.
