The water heater is probably the most underestimated system in your home. Seriously – without the water heater, you wouldn’t have any of these luxuries:
- Hot showers
- Toasty baths
- Sanitized dishes
- Clean towels and sheets
- Hot water, period.
Given the significance of the water heater, do you actually know a good amount 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 average 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 think about replacing the system. If you are unsure how old your water heater is, the date the equipment was manufactured will be displayed in the serial number which you can find on the identification tag on the water heater tank.
Maturing water heaters are nothing to mess around with. A water heater that is ten years or older is at more risk of springing a leak and leading to water damage to your home. If your water heater sits in your attic or above the bottom floor, the possibility of catastrophic damage increases. Be sure you have your water heater maintenance yearly to keep any leaks from creating damage in your home.
The most common breakdown of residential water heaters that will need replacement is a leaking tank.
It is highly recommended to have your plumbing expert 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 probability of water damage. All water heaters should have a functional and reachable 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 disconnect should be located within reach.
If a water heater is “undersized,” particularly a gas water heater, the equipment will fail in a shorter period of time.
When a gas water heater is regularly emptied of hot water due to significant hot water use, the gas burner discharges more often which can create heavy condensation on the tank exterior. The condensation can result in more expeditious breakdown of the steel tank. Furthermore, the severe heat from the gas burner on the underside of the water heater tank can also take its toll on the glass lining on the inside of the tank, which reduces the life cycle of the water heater.
Water Heater sizing is an essential replacement factor.
The water supply cause all water heaters to be under pressure, and as water is heated, it grows creating even more pressure. When contemplating replacing a water heater, it’s typically better to go with a sizable 50 gallon tank, rather than a 30 or 40 gallon tank, presuming the location will accept the larger size. The bigger tank will also supply you more hot water capacity.