Things to Keep in Mind When It Comes to Your Water Heater
Your water heater is probably the most underappreciated system in your home. Really – without a water heater, you couldn’t have any of these luxuries:
- Warm showers
- Toasty baths
- Sanitized dishes
- Clean towels and sheets
- Hot water, period.
Given the power of the water heater, do you really know a good amount about it? We’re here with some things to think about when it comes to maintaining, servicing, and replacing your water heater.
The average lifespan of residential water heaters is 10-12 years.
Natural gas and electric water heaters will commonly last about a decade before you need to consider replacing the appliance. If you are unsure what age your water heater is, the date the system was manufactured will be shown in the serial number which you can find on the ID sticker on the water heater tank.
Older water heaters are nothing to ignore. A water heater that is a decade or older is at higher risk of producing a leak and resulting in water damage to your home. If your water heater sits in your attic or above the ground floor, the chance of catastrophic damage goes up. Always have your water heater maintenance every year to keep any leaks from creating damage in your home.
The most typical malfunction of residential water heaters that will require replacement is a leaking tank.
It is best to have your plumber install the water heater in a drain pan with piping that enables the pan to drain outside of your home and decrease the possibility of water damage. All water heaters should have a working and obtainable shut-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 nearby.
If a water heater is “undersized,” especially a gas water heater, the equipment will breakdown in a shorter period of time.
When a gas water heater is routinely depleted of hot water due to heavy hot water use, the gas burner is set off more frequently which can produce heavy condensation on the tank exterior. The condensation can produce more speedy deterioration of the steel tank. Additionally, the extreme heat from the gas burner on the underside of the water heater tank can also cause damage to the glass lining on the interior of the tank, which reduces the lifespan 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 usually better to go with a larger 50 gallon tank, rather than a 30 or 40 gallon tank, presuming the location will accept the larger size. The bigger tank will also provide you more hot water capacity.
