Homeowners in Fountain Hills often ask Aqua Science if they should fix their broken water heater or buy a new one. If your heater is less than eight years old and only has a broken thermostat or a burnt-out element, doing a repair is usually the best financial choice. We can quickly replace these small parts to get your hot water back on.

However, if you see water leaking directly from the bottom of your tank, you must replace it immediately. A leaking tank means the metal inside has rusted through, and it cannot be safely patched. If your unit is over ten years old and making loud banging noises, buying a new, energy-efficient model is much safer than wasting money trying to fix a dying appliance.

You can easily add years to the life of your water heater by doing simple yearly maintenance. Because the water in Fountain Hills is so hard, the most important thing you can do is flush the sediment out of your tank. Once a year, attach a garden hose to the bottom valve and let the water run out until it is completely clear of white sludge.

If you own a tankless water heater, this maintenance is absolutely required. Because the internal pipes are so small, tankless heaters must be flushed with a special vinegar solution to melt away the hard scale. Skipping this yearly flush will cause the tankless unit to clog up, show error codes, and completely stop working.