Your water heater is probably the most underestimated system in your home. Seriously – without a water heater, you wouldn’t have any of these luxuries:
- Hot showers
- Toasty baths
- Clean dishes
- Clean towels and sheets
- Hot water, period.
Given the importance of the water heater, do you actually know a good amount about it? We’re here to give you some things to think about when it comes to maintaining, servicing, and replacing your water heater.
The usual lifespan of residential water heaters is between ten and twelve years.
Natural gas and electric water heaters will commonly last about a decade before you need to think about replacing the system. If you aren’t sure about the age of your water heater, the date the system was manufactured will be shown in the serial number which you can find on the label on the water heater tank.
Maturing water heaters are nothing to take lightly. A water heater that is 10 years or older is at higher risk of getting a leak and causing water damage to your home. If your water heater sits in your attic or above the first floor, the potential for catastrophic damage rises. Make sure you have your water heater maintenance annually to avoid any leaks from damaging your home.
The most typical failure of residential water heaters that will require replacement is a leaking tank.
It is best to have your installer place the water heater in a drain pan with piping that enables the pan to drain outside of your home and minimize the potential of water damage. Each water heater should have a functional and accessible turn-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 switch off should be located close by.
If a water heater is “undersized,” in particular a gas water heater, the tank will breakdown in a shorter amount of time.
When a gas water heater is consistently depleted of hot water due to significant hot water utilization, the gas burner fires more frequently which can produce heavy condensation on the tank exterior. The condensation can create more speedy deterioration of the steel tank. Furthermore, the severe heat from the gas burner on the underside of the water heater tank can also deteriorate the glass lining on the inner section of the tank, which decreases the lifespan of the water heater.
Water Heater sizing is an essential replacement factor.
The water supply cause all water heaters to be under pressure, and as water is heated, it expands creating even more pressure. When thinking about replacing a water heater, it’s generally better to go with a larger 50 gallon tank, rather than a 30 or 40 gallon tank, providing the location will accept the larger size. The larger tank will also supply you more hot water capacity.