A Selma water heater that leaks from the tank, gives rusty water or keeps breaking is usually ready for replacement. In Selma, a Town zoning approval comes first, then Johnston County Building Inspections. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Selma.
Selma is a railroad town on I-95 next to Smithfield, home of the Selma Union Depot, with downtown and West Selma historic districts. Its housing is older: Census survey figures show a median year built of 1974, with about 55% of homes before 1980. Heaters in those houses often sit in utility rooms, closets or back porches with original valves and connectors.
Selma's main water system runs on the town's own wells and uses chlorine, not chloramine. A separate Selma-Countyline system distributes water bought from Johnston County East.
What to do now
- Close the cold supply. The valve is usually on the pipe above the heater.
- Turn off the energy source. Breaker for electric, gas control to off for gas.
- Smell gas? Leave and call 911 or Piedmont Natural Gas at 800-752-7504 from outside.
- Limit the damage. Mop up, move stored items and run a hose from the drain valve if water keeps coming.
- Write down the basics. Fuel, gallons, age and location. A photo of the label works just as well and saves reading numbers over the phone.
- Call. A local plumber can confirm whether it's time to replace and handle the permit steps.
Symptoms and causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Leak at the bottom | Tank corrosion or the drain valve |
| Gritty or rusty hot water | Sediment from well water or tank corrosion |
| Noisy heating | Sediment on the tank bottom |
| No hot water | Failed element, thermostat, pilot or gas valve |
| Dripping relief valve | Excess pressure or temperature, or a worn valve |
Well-sourced water can carry sediment into a tank, so flushing the new heater once or twice a year helps it last. If hot water smells like rotten eggs, the anode rod reacting with well water is a frequent cause, and a plumber can fit a different type of anode in the new tank.
Cost factors
- Size and fuel of the new heater
- Replacing old valves, connectors and relief piping
- Access in older closets or porches
- Vent work on gas units
- A different anode rod if odor has been a problem
- Zoning approval, county permit and disposal
The plumber usually handles both the Town zoning approval and the county permit, so you don't need to visit either office.
Water Heater Replacement questions in Selma
Which office handles the permit for a replacement water heater here?
What extra work tends to come up in an older house?
Does the way the local water is treated matter for a new tank?
What happens to the heater that comes out?
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