The water heater is probably the most underrated appliance in your home. Think about it – without the water heater, you wouldn’t have any of the following:
- Hot showers
- Hot baths
- Disinfected dishes
- Clean towels and sheets
- Hot water, period.
Given the power of the water heater, do you really know much about it? We’re here with a couple things to remember when it comes to servicing, maintaining, and replacing your water heater.
The usual lifespan of residential water heaters is 10-12 years.
Natural gas and electric water heaters will typically last about a decade before you need to think about replacing the water heater. If you aren’t sure about the age of your water heater, the date the equipment was manufactured will be reflected in the serial number which is located on the ID sticker on the water heater tank.
Aging water heaters are nothing to ignore. A water heater that is 10 years or older is at greater risk of springing a leak and leading to water damage to your home. If your water heater sits in your attic or above the bottom floor, the possibility of catastrophic damage rises. Be sure you have your water heater maintenance yearly to avoid any leaks from causing damage to your home.
The most typical malfunction of residential water heaters that will need replacement is a leaking tank.
It is best to have your plumbing expert install the water heater in a drain pan with piping that enables the pan to drain outside your home and minimize the potential of water damage. Every water heater should have a operational and accessible shut-off valve on the inlet water supply to the tank, and a ball-type valve on the gas supply. For electric water heaters, an electrical cut off should be placed within reach.
If a water heater is “undersized,” particularly a gas water heater, the tank will fail in a shorter amount of time.
When a gas water heater is consistently depleted of hot water due to substantial hot water usage, the gas burner is set off more often which can result in heavy condensation on the tank exterior. The condensation can produce more speedy decomposition of the steel tank. Additionally, the severe heat from the gas burner on the base of the water heater tank can also deteriorate the glass lining on the inner section of the tank, which lowers the lifespan of the water heater.
Water Heater sizing is an important replacement factor.
The water supply cause all water heaters to be under pressure, and as water is heated, it grows creating even more pressure. When contemplating replacing a water heater, it’s generally better to go with a bigger 50 gallon tank, rather than a 30 or 40 gallon tank, providing the location will fit the larger size. The larger tank will also give you more hot water capacity.