5 Signs That It's Time to Upgrade Your Hot Water Tank

Jul 16 , 2021 • 2 min read

Experts say that a water heater will last anywhere from 6 to 12 years, on average. That’s a pretty wide margin, so it can sometimes be hard to tell whether an unreliable device needs repair or replacement. Here are five signs that it’s probably time to start looking into options for a new hot water tank.

1. Your Hot Water Tank Is Old.

If your water heater is nearing the 10 to 12-year mark, chances are that it will need to be replaced soon. Most water heaters will last up to a decade before professionals recommend updating to a newer model. If you have a gas-powered water heater, that lifespan is even shorter. Not to mention that technology has advanced and there have been plenty of advancements in heating coils, pump mechanisms, and energy-efficiency, even just in the past decade.

To find out how old your water heater is, look for the serial number listed on the manufacturer’s sticker. (It should look something like “G06123456”.) The first few digits show the date that the machine was built. The first letter represents the month of manufacture (A for month 1 or January, B for February, and so on) and the first two numbers show the year. In the example above, G is the seventh letter of the alphabet and represents July, and 06 marks the year, telling you that this water heater was constructed in July 2006.

2. Your Water Looks Rusty or Dirty.

If you start to notice a rusty colour or taste coming from your water, your hot water tank is likely due for replacement. Rust and corrosion are unfortunate weaknesses of steel, which is a common material used for household pipes and water heater tanks. If you start to notice rust particles in your hot water, or you see rust-coloured stains around your faucets, there’s a good chance that you’ve got corrosion in your tank and it might lead to leakage. This is a major sign that it’s time to upgrade your water heater to a newer model.

3. Your Hot Water Tank Is Noisy.

Sediment buildup can cause water heater tanks to clank and rumble as they heat, getting louder with age and usage. Most professionals recommend that you flush out your water heater every year to slow down the rate that sediment builds up, but if that hasn’t helped, there is likely a larger problem with your heater. These creaks and thumps could mean that a leak is about to spring—not to mention that the sediment is making your device less energy efficient. This is definitely a sign that it’s time to start looking for a new one.

4. Your Water Heating is Unreliable.

There are many different types of high-efficiency water heaters and they each have their own great features, but if there’s one thing you need any of them to do, it’s heat water! If your current system isn’t cutting it for your home, it might not just be a matter of maintenance or age—it could be that your heater just isn’t properly sized for you and your family’s hot water needs. If you’re unsatisfied with the heat your device is putting out, it could be time to upgrade, whether that means a larger tank volume, more efficient power usage, or a different type of water heater all together. (Did you know there are also tankless water heaters?)

5. Your Energy Bill Is Too High.

Not surprisingly, HVAC and appliance companies have shifted their focus to sustainability, affordability, and energy consumption. Hot water heaters are a big part of that conversation. Simply put, older models weren’t built with efficiency in mind. The effect of your hot water tank on your utility bill can vary depending on the size and material in the tank, the type of coil, and even the source of the heat itself. Consulting with the experts at Simply Green Home Services can help you identify what your household needs are and how to best meet them.

Energy Savings , Home Comfort , Water Heating ,

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Dr. Andrew Bowgen Chief Risk Officer

Joining Simply Group’s executive team in 2018, Andrew Bowgen, PhD, brings an exceptionally analytical eye—he holds a PhD in Comparative Physiology from the University of Cambridge—along with years of leadership experience from some of Canada’s top financial institutions. As Simply Group’s Chief Risk Officer, Andrew has played a critical role in the company’s strategic growth by effectively identifying, evaluating, and managing risk factors and opportunities. He is also responsible for laying the groundwork for Simply Group’s strong risk management framework and cultivating a sound risk culture across the organization. Before joining Simply Group, Andrew served as Director of Risk Strategy at Flexiti Financial, where he was responsible for mitigating exposure and building an environment of risk awareness across the organization. He also previously worked as a Senior Credit Risk Manager at Scotiabank and spent five years as a Senior Credit Risk Manager overseeing risk governance at JPMorgan Chase.

Joseph Krimker Co-founder, EVP, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development

As co-founder and Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Business Development, Joseph Krimker has played a critical role in building Simply Group to the entity it is today. After graduating from the Schulich School of Business in 2013, with a wealth of entrepreneurial experiences throughout his youth, Joseph joined his brother, Lawrence, to start Simply Green Home Services™. Due in part to Joseph’s incredible success in sales, the company exceeded $30 million in annual revenue in just the first three years of business. Today, Joseph is responsible for identifying new avenues of strategic growth for Simply Group, as well as maximizing the company’s operating performance.

Joseph proudly maintains a “lead by example” leadership style, while subscribing to a “servant leadership” philosophy. A true salesperson at heart, he is well known for his competitive nature, infectious positive energy, and a warm and empathetic personality. Having grown up with a single, immigrant mother in a Toronto co-operative housing complex, Joseph believes in continually giving back to the communities we operate in and conducting business with a high degree of humility and integrity.

Jerome Peeters Chief Operating Officer

Jerome Peeters is an accomplished business executive with over 22 years of Financial Industry experience leading business operations and transformation in various B2B and B2C organizations. With his entrepreneurial vision and disciplined data-driven approach, Jerome continuously propels growth and energizes organizations to drive results in changing environments. Prior to joining Simply Group in 2019, he was the Chief Operating Officer at Flexiti Financial, where he led the strategy and operational growth of the FinTech company. Jerome also previously served as Vice President of Operations and Client Services at Laurentian Bank and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Customer Experience for Sears Canada. Prior to this, Jerome played a pivotal role in the growth of President’s Choice Financial as Senior Director of Marketing and Change Management for this award-winning brand.

Lawrence Krimker Chief Executive Officer

Lawrence Krimker has become one of North America’s most accomplished business leaders. As Chief Executive Officer of Simply Group, he has managed to revolutionize the residential and commercial energy sector, successfully disrupting and transforming an industry that had grown complacent. Through strategic acquisitions, innovative business tactics, and the creation of a specialty financing model that has made high-efficiency energy appliances more affordable for homeowners and businesses, Lawrence has amassed over $1.45 billion in assets for his companies and has helped hundreds of thousands of Canadians reduce their carbon footprint.

Simply Group was born from Lawrence’s vision to change the way Canadians think about home comfort. In seven short years, the company, which started as Simply Green Home Services, successfully expanded into the financing and lending sector, making Simply Group one of Canada’s largest non-bank suppliers of consumer credit. Lawrence continues to push the company forward with a strong focus on innovation and an unwavering commitment to building mutually beneficial relationships with its dealer network, OEMs, and consumers. With his strong leadership, vision, and passion, Simply Group has been celebrated as being Great Place to Work-Certified™ for six years in a row.

Lawrence’s ambition, drive, and strong work ethic hail from his humble beginnings. The son of a single mother—an immigrant to Canada who relied on multiple jobs and subsidized housing to make ends meet—Lawrence grew up seeing the value of these qualities firsthand. He started his first business at only 16 years old while still in high school. He then attended the Schulich School of Business on a full scholarship and in his spare time, he launched a window-cleaning business that went on to gross $2 million in sales with over 34,000 customers, 80 employees, and operations in three locations. After profitably selling the company and graduating at the top of his class, Lawrence went on to launch Simply Green Home Services in 2013.

Raymond Tam Chief Treasury Officer

Raymond Tam is a seasoned finance professional with over 15 years of experience in strategic planning, financial governance, merger and acquisition execution, and business analysis across a spectrum of businesses, including entrepreneurial start-ups, mid-sized businesses, and large established corporations. In his current role at Simply Group, Raymond manages all lender relationships, as well as overseeing the treasury and securitization functions across the organization. Before this, he headed the Merger and Acquisition team at Simply Group, where he was responsible for leading the due diligence efforts on the company’s portfolio and business acquisitions, the most recent being SNAP Financial Group and Dealnet Capital Corp.

Prior to joining Simply Group, Raymond helped to launch a private label consumer financing technology start-up; he was responsible for the development of the company’s accounting and financial operations. Raymond also spent five years as the Divisional Chief Financial Officer for Sears Financial Services, the credit card-issuing arm of Sears Canada. Raymond holds his Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) designation and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Schulich School of Business.

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