Sediments will affect the efficiency of your home's appliances, so if your hot water heater isn't performing as it used to, it could be a sign of sand or sediment problems. Check the lining of your hot water heater tank for wear and tear, or have a professional contractor with plenty of experience look for you and fill in the blanks if you're unsure. Your cold water lines may have also undergone wear and tear because of sediments in the system that need to be removed.
While you won't be able to check the water lines themselves, if you notice that the rate of cold water coming out of your faucet is slower than usual, you may be dealing with a sand or sediments issue that's affecting your water's flow rate, or force.