![]() ![]() But if you use the following information, you can reliably tell how old your water heater is and, hopefully, replace it before trouble starts. But how do you do that?Īs it turns out, the answer gets a little complicated. This can help you decide whether to try to repair or replace the heater.Ī timely replacement of a water heater that’s about to fail can save lots of time, money, and energy compared to waiting for it to go.Īnd one of the best ways to determine whether your heater is soon to become a problem is to know how old it is. Warning signs like little or no hot water, low flow, and leaking fittings can alert you to the fact that your water heater is reaching the end of its useful life. Water damage from a ruptured heater can easily cost thousands to repair. In the worst case, a heater can literally explode. Running out of hot water in the middle of a shower is the least of it.Ī worn-out water heater can also leak, put out water that’s too hot or too cold, reduce your water flow to a trickle or cause water to smell or look bad. When water heaters go bad, they can go really bad. If the heater was already installed in a property when you moved in, it’s even less likely that you’ll know when the heater was manufactured, purchased, and installed. Unless you keep good records, you likely can’t recall exactly when you acquired your water heater. Of course, that’s plenty long enough to lose the original sales receipt for the heater as well as the warranty and other info. ![]() With all this in mind, if you have a standard electric water heater, you can normally expect it to be in good shape for 10 to 15 years. Higher mineral content means a shorter-lived heater. Finally, the mineral content of the water also affects it. The amount of hot water you use also has a major impact on heater life. Some manufacturers and models tend to last longer, sometimes a lot longer. It partly depends on whether the heater uses electricity or gas for the fuel source. However, others may only last around eight years. Some models can give faithful service for up to 20 years. But the expected lifetime for a water heater varies considerably. ![]()
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