The water heater is often the unsung hero of every household. According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), your water heater accounts for 18% of your home’s energy consumption. In other words, it works a lot harder than every other appliance in your home. So, if you want to have an energy-efficient home, we recommend that you start by making sure your water heater is operating at peak efficiency.

But what if your water heater is not working as efficiently as it should? What’s going on?

Let’s get to the bottom of this. Here are six things that could be wrong with your home’s water heater:

1. Rusty-Looking Water

Have you started noticing that the color of your water looks a bit off? Your water should be absolutely clear at all times. Anything other than that—yellow, orange, red, or any other color—and you should give us a call right away.

What is most likely happening is that the inside of your water heater is rusting and flaking off. This is what gives your water the tinge you are noticing.

2. Lukewarm Water

The hot water supplied by your water system should be consistent at all times. If your water heater is not working as expected, you may find that you are getting lukewarm water from the faucets instead of hot water. The team of local plumbing experts at Option One will help you get to the bottom of any water heater problems you are facing.

3. Boiling Water

You could also be experiencing the opposite problem—the water could be scalding. Anyone who is not having this problem may be wondering how you can have too much of a good thing. However, you know that scalding water can be both painful and dangerous. We are ready to help you get your water temperature under control as soon as possible.

4. Funky Odor

Does your water smell like a rotten egg? This foul odor is a result of bacteria-infested sediment in your home’s water heater. You will notice the stench when the bacteria starts decomposing. We can fix the problem and neutralize the smell that your nose finds unbearable.

5. Strange Noises

Rattling and rumbling are two unusual sounds that you may hear coming from your water heater. You will hear these sounds when a layer of sediment accumulates on the bottom of your water tank. Your water contains a natural amount of sediment. Over time, some of it settles and solidifies—and the noises you hear are produced by water attempting to break through this sediment buildup.

6. Leaks

Have you spotted any leakage problems in your water heater? If this is the case, you may hear a sizzling sound coming from your water heater cabinet. These leaks are a big problem since they severely impact the efficiency of your water heater.

The team of skilled and experienced local plumbers at Option One can fix anything wrong with your water heater so that it runs at peak efficiency.