No hot water is one of those problems that cannot really wait. Here is what usually causes it in James Island homes.
Age is usually the answer
Water heaters generally last eight to twelve years. If yours is around that age and starting to struggle, that is normal rather than unlucky.
Damp crawl spaces are hard on tanks
Where a heater sits in a crawl space — common in the older James Island homes — the damp underneath works on the outside of the tank and its fittings. A heater down there often has a shorter life than the same unit in a dry garage, and it is worth looking at once a year.
What is usually worth repairing
A thermostat, heating element, thermocouple or gas valve on a tank under about eight years old is normally worth fixing. Sediment in the bottom causes that rumbling sound, and flushing often makes a real difference.
What is not
If the tank itself is leaking rather than a fitting, it has rusted through and no repair will hold. We would rather tell you plainly than take payment for something that will not last.