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

Your hot water heater is probably the most underrated appliance in your home. Seriously – without the water heater, you don’t have any of these perks: 

• Hot showers
• Toasty baths
• Sanitized dishes
• Disinfected towels and sheets

• Hot water, period.

Given the significance of the water heater, do you truly know enough about it? We’re here with a few things to keep in mind when it comes to replacing, maintaining, and servicing your water heater.

The typical lifespan of residential water heaters is about ten to twelve years.

Natural gas and electric water heaters will usually last about a decade before you need to look into replacing the water heater. If you aren’t sure about the age of your water heater, the date the system was manufactured will be reflected in the serial number which you can find on the ID sticker on the water heater tank.

Older water heaters are nothing to mess around with. A water heater that is 10 years or older is at more risk of producing a leak and leading to water damage to your home. If your water heater sits in your attic or above the ground floor, the potential for catastrophic damage rises. Always have your water heater maintenance every year to keep any leaks from creating damage in your home.

The most usual breakdown of residential water heaters that will entail replacement is a leaking tank.

It is best to have your plumber install the water heater in a drain pan with piping that lets the pan to drain to the outside of your home and decrease the potential of water damage. Each water heater should have a working 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 disconnect should be positioned nearby.

If a water heater is “undersized,” particularly a gas water heater, the system will fail in a shorter time span.

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 outside of the tank. The condensation can create more expeditious breakdown of the steel tank. Also, the severe heat from the gas burner on the base of the water heater tank can also cause damage to the glass lining on the inner section of the tank, which reduces the life cycle of the water heater.

Water Heater sizing is a crucial 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 considering replacement of a water heater, it’s typically better to go with a sizable 50 gallon tank, rather than a 30 or 40 gallon tank, providing the location will fit the larger size. The larger tank will also give you more hot water capacity.