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

Your water heater is probably the most underrated system in your home. Really – without a water heater, you wouldn’t have any of the following: 

• Hot showers 
• Toasty baths 
• Sanitized 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 with a couple things to remember when it comes to servicing, maintaining, and replacing your water heater. 

The usual lifespan of residential water heaters is 10-12 years. 

Natural gas and electric water heaters will typically last about a decade before you need to consider replacing the system. If you are not sure how old your water heater is, the date the system was manufactured will be shown in the serial number which can be found on the identification tag on the water heater tank. 

Aging water heaters are nothing to mess around with. A water heater that is a decade or older is at more risk of producing a leak and leading to water damage to your home. If your water heater is in your attic or above the ground floor, the possibility of catastrophic damage increases. Always have your water heater maintenance annually to keep any leaks from causing damage to your home. 

The most usual malfunction of residential water heaters that will require replacement is a leaking tank. 

It is best to have your installer place the water heater in a drain pan with piping that allows the pan to drain outside your home and lower the possibility of water damage. Each water heater should have a functional and obtainable 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 shut off should be located close by. 

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

When a gas water heater is regularly drained of hot water due to substantial hot water utilization, the gas burner fires more often which can result in heavy condensation on the outside of the tank. The condensation can produce more speedy breakdown of the steel tank. Also, the severe heat from the gas burner on the base of the water heater tank can also take its toll on the glass lining on the interior of the tank, which reduces the life cycle of the water heater. 

Water Heater sizing is a significant replacement factor. 

The water supply cause all water heaters to be under pressure, and as water is heated, it expands creating even more pressure. When considering replacement of a water heater, it’s usually better to go with a larger 50 gallon tank, rather than a 30 or 40 gallon tank, as long as the location will fit the larger size. The larger tank will also provide you more hot water capacity.