Things to Keep in Mind When It Comes to Your Water Heater 

The water heater is probably the most underrated appliance in your home. Think about it – without your water heater, you don’t have any of the following: 

• Hot showers 
• Warm baths 
• Sanitized dishes 
• Sanitized towels and sheets 

• Hot water, period. 

Given the importance of the water heater, do you really know much about it? We’re here with a couple things to keep in mind when it comes to maintaining, servicing, and replacing your water heater. 

The typical lifespan of residential water heaters is between ten and twelve years. 

Natural gas and electric water heaters will typically last about a decade before you need to look into replacing the appliance. If you are not sure about the age of your water heater, the date the unit was manufactured will be reflected in the serial number which is located on the identification tag on the water heater tank. 

Aging water heaters are nothing to mess around with. A water heater that is ten years or older is at more risk of getting a leak and causing water damage to your home. If your water heater is in your attic or above the first floor, the chance of catastrophic damage increases. Always have your water heater maintenance annually to avoid any leaks from damaging your home. 

The most common failure of residential water heaters that will entail replacement is a leaking tank. 

It is a good idea to have your plumbing expert install the water heater in a drain pan with piping that allows the pan to drain outside your home and decrease the possibility of water damage. Each water heater should have a functional and accessible cut-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 disconnect should be located nearby. 

If a water heater is “undersized,” particularly a gas water heater, the tank will malfunction in a shorter period of time. 

When a gas water heater is consistently depleted of hot water due to heavy hot water use, the gas burner fires repeatedly which can create heavy condensation on the tank exterior. The condensation can cause more rapid deterioration of the steel tank. Additionally, the extreme heat from the gas burner on the bottom of the water heater tank can also deteriorate the glass lining on the interior of the tank, which reduces the lifespan of the water heater. 

Water Heater sizing is an important replacement consideration. 

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 fit the larger size. The larger tank will also give you more hot water capacity.