Your hot water heater is probably the most underestimated system in your home. Seriously – without a water heater, you couldn’t have any of the following:
- Hot showers
- Warm baths
- Clean dishes
- Clean towels and sheets
- Hot water, period.
Given the significance of the water heater, do you actually know enough about it? We’re here to give you a couple things to remember when it comes to servicing, maintaining, and replacing your water heater.
The usual 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 look into replacing the system. If you are not sure what age your water heater is, the date the equipment was manufactured will be reflected in the serial number which can be found on the identification tag on the water heater tank.
Aging water heaters are nothing to ignore. A water heater that is 10 years or older is at higher risk of producing a leak and leading to water damage to your home. If your water heater is positioned in your attic or above the ground floor, the chance of catastrophic damage rises. Always have your water heater maintenance every year to keep any leaks from damaging your home.
The most usual malfunction of residential water heaters that will require 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 of your home and lower the possibility of water damage. All water heaters should have a operational 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 cut off should be placed close by.
If a water heater is “undersized,” especially a gas water heater, the tank will fail in a shorter time span.
When a gas water heater is consistently drained of hot water due to heavy hot water use, the gas burner discharges more frequently which can create heavy condensation on the outside of the tank. The condensation can create more speedy deterioration of the steel tank. Additionally, the severe heat from the gas burner on the underside of the water heater tank can also cause damage to the glass lining on the inside of the tank, which lowers the life expectancy of the water heater.
Water Heater sizing is a crucial replacement consideration.
The water supply creates pressure for all water heaters, 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, as long as the location will accept the larger size. The larger tank will also give you more hot water capacity.