Don’t wait for a catastrophe: Be alert for these indicators that your water heater is about to fail. Most people have no idea that their water heater is about to fail. But there are signs to watch for (and we’re not just talking about soppy carpet or water running from under the garage). 

You can avoid the disruption and damage of a failing water heater. Here are four indicators that your water heater may be on its last legs:

1. How old is your water heater?

It's crucial to know the age of your water heater. Find the age by looking for the serial number on the manufacturer’s sticker on the upper portion of the water heater. The serial number contains the date that the water heater was manufactured. But it won’t look the way a date is normally written. Instead, the serial number will have a date code such as "F051052638". F is for the month and F is the sixth letter in the alphabet, so it represents the sixth mon...