The water heater is probably the most underestimated machine in your home. Seriously – without a water heater, you don’t have any of these luxuries:
- Steamy showers
- Hot baths
- Sanitized dishes
- Clean towels and sheets
- Hot water, period.
Given the significance of the water heater, do you actually know much about it? We’re here with a few things to think about when it comes to maintaining, servicing, and replacing your water heater.
The average lifespan of residential water heaters is about ten to twelve years.
Natural gas and electric water heaters will commonly last about a decade before you need to consider replacing the appliance. If you are not sure about the age of your water heater, the date the system was manufactured will be displayed in the serial number which can be found on the identification tag on the water heater tank.
Older water heaters are nothing to mess around with. A water heater that is a decade or older is at higher risk of springing 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 goes up. Be sure you have your water heater maintenance every year to avoid any leaks from causing damage to your home.
The most usual breakdown of residential water heaters that will need 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 enables the pan to drain outside your home and decrease the possibility of water damage. All water heaters should have a functional and reachable 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 positioned within reach.
If a water heater is “undersized,” particularly a gas water heater, the equipment will fail in a shorter time span.
When a gas water heater is consistently depleted of hot water due to heavy hot water use, the gas burner fires more often which can result in heavy condensation on the exterior of the tank. The condensation can cause more expeditious deterioration of the steel tank. Furthermore, the extreme heat from the gas burner on the bottom 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 a crucial replacement consideration.
All water heaters are under pressure from the water supply, and as water is heated, it extends creating even more pressure. When considering replacement of a water heater, it’s generally better to go with a bigger 50 gallon tank, rather than a 30 or 40 gallon tank, presuming the location will fit the larger size. The 50 gallon tank will also provide you more hot water capacity.