5 Signs Your Water Heater Is About to Fail (and What to Do)

By The Acme Plumbing Team · 6/28/2026

Most water heaters give you weeks of warning before they quit — if you know what to listen and look for. Catching the signs early is the difference between a planned same-day swap and a flooded utility closet on a Sunday night.

Rusty or metallic-tasting hot water means the tank is corroding from the inside out. Rumbling or popping is sediment forcing the burner to overheat the steel above it. Water pooling at the base means call the same day. Lukewarm water that never gets hot, and any tank past 10-12 years, round out the list.

Seeing two or more? Book an inspection before the tank picks the worst possible moment — we stock every major brand and can usually swap a failing unit the same afternoon.