Your water heater is probably the most underestimated system in your home. Think about it – without your water heater, you wouldn’t have any of these perks:
- Hot showers
- Hot baths
- Disinfected dishes
- Clean towels and sheets
- Hot water, period.
Given the importance of the water heater, do you really know enough about it? We’re here with a few things to remember 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 are not sure what age your water heater is, the date the unit was manufactured will be displayed in the serial number which you can find on the label on the water heater tank.
Older water heaters are nothing to take lightly. A water heater that is a decade or older is at greater risk of getting a leak and leading to water damage to your home. If your water heater sits in your attic or above the bottom floor, the potential for catastrophic damage increases. Be sure you have your water heater maintenance annually to keep any leaks from damaging your home.
The most usual failure of residential water heaters that will entail replacement is a leaking tank.
It is a good idea to have your plumber install the water heater in a drain pan with piping that lets the pan to drain outside of your home and decrease the potential of water damage. Each water heater should have a operational and obtainable 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 placed nearby.
If a water heater is “undersized,” particularly a gas water heater, the tank will breakdown in a shorter amount of time.
When a gas water heater is routinely drained of hot water due to substantial hot water usage, the gas burner discharges repeatedly which can create heavy condensation on the tank exterior. The condensation can result in more speedy decomposition of the steel tank. Also, the exceptional heat from the gas burner on the underside of the water heater tank can also take its toll on the glass lining on the inner section of the tank, which lowers the life cycle of the water heater.
Water Heater sizing is a significant 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 typically better to go with a sizable 50 gallon tank, rather than a 30 or 40 gallon tank, as long as the location will accommodate the larger size. The bigger tank will also supply you more hot water capacity.