How Long Do Water Heaters Last? This Plumber of 48-Years Shares His Experience
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- čas přidán 8. 07. 2024
- How long will your water heater last? Jim's plumbing experience will help you decide if it is time to replace your water heater if it is getting old.
Jim breaks down how long a water heater lasts based on his experience working across the country. He shares the water heater manufacturers’ warranty, things that can go wrong with your water heater, and how to check the age of your water heater.
How long a water heater should last is a guessing game. Take some advice from an old plumber and figure out what is best for replacing your water heater.
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Thanks for watching! - Jak na to + styl
Our water heater is 25 years old, after the 6 year warranty I replace the anode rod every 3 years and I flush ours every year, we do all the work ourselves, ours is a gas water heater out in the country. Basic maintenance and it should last decades.
I have the same water heater for 35 years in pomona California
You have beaten me with 29 years!! 😂😂👍👍
Wow.
I live in southern Wisconsin. I've lived in my house for 13 years and the natural gas water heater was here when I bought the house. I have decided to get rid of my chimney and have to replace the water heater because it vents thought that. Looking at the water heater for the first time since I've been here. It's a Richmond from 1994. 28 years old. I have never had an issue with it. Never cleaned it out. Never replaced anything. I just turn on the hot water and I have it. I can only hope, My new Richmond with power vent lasts half as long.
Thank you gentlemen for passing on your knowledge. This is greatly appreciated.
My last hot water heater was 36 years before it started to drip ! The plumber thought it was pulling his leg it was older then him 😂
Thank you Jim. Always glean some gems from your videos.
I read a comment from a contractor about Home Depot conducting a customer survey years ago asking which water heater brand they thought was most reliable. GE took the top spot. The interesting thing about that was at that time, GE didn’t make or sell water heaters.
After that survey, GE contracted with Rheem to sell water heaters with a GE badge/branding.
I am in Canada 🇨🇦 my natural gas water heater is 39 years old. I flush it every 6 months and have owned the house since 2003. I don't know what the previous owners did. It still works efficiently.
Water quality plays a big in how long a water heater lasts.
I have a 50 gallon gas Rheem water heater. !8 years old. So far, no problems.
Thanks!
The year built for a Craftmaster is the first 2 digits of the serial number. I've got a 1995 40 gallon gas model. I probably had it installed that year. I've only had to replace the ignition once. Now the heating elements were under water for a couple of weeks so now that it's dried out, I'm going to try to get it started before I have a plumber back in. 🙄 Yes, everything is happening at once here.
Hi - I just found your channel and I love your content! My water heater has been knocking and making noises for years but recently it rumbled and shook the walls a little! The water is also recently super hot. It's not leaking but I plan to replace it after watching your water heater videos instead of trying to drain it and flush the sediment. It's a 2007 and I have really hard water so I'm sure it's on borrowed time. After it rumbled at me I was worried about the pressure and turned off the breaker. I was going to test the pressure relief valve but again - watching your videos made me realize that wasn't going to help and I just need a new water heater. I've now watched the Mythbusters water heater explosion video and well - I'm concerned to say the least. Thanks so much, you've already saved me a lot of pointless work.
Pamela Shultz, yes, replace the heater. Appreciate your comments. Thanks for subscribing.
My bradford is 11 yrs young n still works great. I just changed the thermo coupler. 9 bux
Only brand I stick with. Lasts ~dozen years for us.
I'm watching these videos because I am disappointed that my Bradford White gas HW heater only lasted 7.5 years. Luckily I caught the leak immediately by having a water alarm installed (it was leaking around the pressure relief valve thread).
I actually flushed it out good (suprised by all the sediment) and replaced the pressure relief valve and cleaned the threads as best as I could but a leaked still occured. The leak was a lot less but it was still there. The good news is that I avoided major damage as my HW heater is in a finished basement. But in all, I'm just disappointed I only got 7.5 years out of it. It is a Bradford White. I'm sure there are multiple factors of it failing but perhaps my water pressure could have been the leading culprit. I enjoy the water pressure I have when taking a shower but I'll make sure my plumber verifies I have a safe level of water pressure coming into my house.
From what I've learned over the years, water alarms are crucial to have. I'm also thinking of installing an electronic water shut off system to put on my valve.
I've watched your other video about whether flushing prolongs the tank. Definitely a heated debate in the plumber world. I didn't do any flushing with this tank and I think I might do a full flush once a year because I was surprised by all the sediment I had. We'll see how long my next tank lasts by doing that.
Really enjoy your content! Several of your videos describe high city supply pressures as a cause of home plumbing failure. I am curious what your thoughts are on installing pressure management devices such as reducing valves and hammer arresting devices. After placing a water pressure gauge and seeing pressures spiking to 130psi (in Denver) I installed a Wilkins reducer on 3/4" main and now I don't see pressures exceeding 90 psi. Was this a good idea or am I brimming with a false sense of security? Again, GREAT CONTENT!
Bob, you want to adjust the regulator to between 60-65 psi. It would be safer than 90psi because, when the water heater comes on, you get thermo expansion. To test that at 60-65 psi, put a pressure gauge on the drain of the water heater, open the drain to check pressure and turn the temperature to as high as it will go so the heater fires up. See if the pressure moves up. If it climbs more than 20psi, then you want to add an expansion tank on the cold side of the heater. This is a good thing to check.
Have an OSmith , they probably just don't make them as good as they use too . Thanks for the expect info .....
Great video and appreciate the honesty. My water heater leaked in my third floor condo and the people under me sustained damage. The water heater was only 6 years old! I stay on top of every maintenance need in my condo but you can never tell when a water heater will just go! What if I was out of state, not around to shut it off, would’ve been a nightmare. Any suggestions on stuff like that, go on vacation and maybe just shut off the water main line? Anything I can do preventative to never have this happen again? I feel like it has to leak and then you have to replace it. Any tell tale signs leading up to a leak? Sorry I’m still getting over being really upset about the whole thing!
Sorry for your experience. Yes, turn off the valve on the top of the water heater on the right side. Open the hot water faucet until the pressure drops, then turn it back off again. You can get a water alarm that you can put under the water heater. When it gets wet, it will scream. If you have a water supply that shuts off the water to your entire condo, turn that off too. Good luck. Water can sure do a lot of damage.
I had a Rheem 40gal gas propane WH lasted me 32 years.. it didn't fail when I finally replaced it, I got too nervous being that old it would fail and flood my basement. But it might have lasted many more years. Kept the water temp low, so taking a bath and be comfortable meant cranking the shower valve all the way to the left so it wasn't mixing much, if at all with the cold side. I'm on a well and my pressure is about 40psi. Never did any maintenance to it either... never replaced the anode rod. It was ugly as hell but boy she worked nicely. Water pressure was a bit low, probably because of the built up sediment. After we put in the new WH, the hot side flow surprised me. Wonder if the sediment helped extend its life. Maybe plugging any holes that developed over time. It certainly shocked the plumber who came out to replace it. He didn't believe me that it was that old.
I think that when you have lower water pressure, the heaters tend to last longer. In my younger days, heaters always lasted longer than they do today.
does keeping it at a lower temperature make it last longer?
Our water heater is from October, 2013. We are fixing issues in the house which includes our basement getting flooded 8 times. In the bathroom sink we have to wait for the hot water to get hot. We have run out of hot water in the shower. Is this indication to replace water heater? Also, would like to see how a water softener is installed and how much it helps.
PRAISE GOD MEDIA, running out of hot water in the shower could be one of two things; the water heater is too small for the household ( average home should have a 40 or 50 gallon water heater), maybe the temperature on the heater is too low. If the basement keeps flooding, I would recommend moving it to another location. Waiting for the water to get hot is because you don’t have a circulating hot water line. It could be expensive to install to the system now. A water softener is very simple to install. The hard water comes in on the right side looking at the front of the softener and the soft water exits on the left side. You have to have a discharge line into a drain for the dirty water.
The other day while visiting my sister, I asked my brother-in-law 'How old is your electric water heater, how many flushes?' Howard replied "It's 45 years old and has been flushed once, a long time ago.." Could be a Guinness World Record for an electric water heater?
Reply
MoxNix Stuff, sorry but he missed it by six months! 🤣😂Although, that is extremely impressive!
My coop required each apt HWH be replaced every 10 yrs, even if the warranty is 6. I'm on my 3rd and they've never leaked, or misbehaved, they are all Bradford White and professionally installed. They are all replaced in excellent working condition. I live in a large city, and I think the city water quality and that the tanks are indoors, in the same living conditions as the owners, that make them live a long time without trouble. They are never serviced or drained. OTAH, my friends who'se tanks are in unheated or uncooled basements, alone, and worse if used with hard water, it seems to shorten lifespan or cause trouble at 6 yearish, as this is often a topic during picnics when we can compare notes.
My State Industries entry-level water heater for an Apollo system, 6 year warranty began hissing and releasing water into the pan- the w/h needs replacing. It "expired" after only 7 years, 2 months. Is it worth getting the middle grade unit with the 8 year warranty (Pro Line Master) as a replacement for better quality, longer life?
Scott Truax, not big on buying extended warranty water heaters because it’s the same heater and they are just taking a chance that the heater will last through the warranty. Only hardware stores have different grades of water heaters.
I've got a question, my family owns 200+ apartments in NE Ohio. We have City well water.
It kills the heating elements in the water heaters. Have you found a quality difference in element brands?
Harry, they do make a longer life element. I can’t remember the manufacturer but you should be able to find it. You only need to change the bottom element because you can check an element by the continuity on an electrical tester. I always check the element before removing them to make sure they are bad.
I watched your other video with regards to yearly draining and how that doesn't seem to help. Does replacing the anode rod every 2-3 years help extend the lifespan or is that also a waste of money?
There has really been no proof that either flushing or replacing the rod extends the lifespan.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber Thanks for the reply, I've shared your videos with friends. I really wish somebody would do a study to see if this is the case. It'll save people a lot of money.
Here is a good time to plug on- demand water heaters. They can be repaired if they get a leak and a tank water heater cannot. Thanks for being a subscriber.
Is the basic unit different on the 6 year warranty model than the 12 year warranty model or is it just the accessories? If the same then why the difference in warranty? thanks
D Bradford, they add another magnesium rod to a 6 year warranty heater and make it a 12 year warranty. If the 12 year warranty heater leaks, they will give you a 6 year heater to replace it.
I have my gas water heater for 29 years! My secret...I only use it for emergency backup in case my oil burner, that usually heats the water and my house, goes down! I DO drain it after I repair my oil burner, though, and leave the petcock open in the bottom so it completely drains...which can take a LONG, LONG time! Last year I decided to keep it on during the summer/fall months and leave my oil burner off so I could do some cleaning and repair work on it before the winter. It is now off and drained as my oil burner has taken over for the winter. Maybe this summer I will use it again for awhile.....depending on just how high the price of oil goes up because of us starting a war somewhere.....probably with Iran.....🤔
Being that I have worked on plumbing and lots of other mechanical and electrical things for 58 years. I say this about water heaters. Do flush them and back flush them, this gets the flakey crud off the bottom and helps the water heat ( gas ) up more efficiently. High pressure causing problems with short life water heater, easy fix ( but I think that's just not the case), pressure regulator to keep pressure in a range good for plumbing and water heater. Having lived in Ca for 55 years and knowing water heaters, and my contractor friends who know water heaters, if you are only getting 5 years out of a water heater, then you may be living in an area that has water from a well that has high content of sulfur, or near geothermal, other wise normally you can expect to get 15 to 20 years or more out of a water heater in Ca. Not sure where you came up with no flush thing and high pressure thing? Grumpy time to hang the pipe wrenches up respectfully.
My guy I have a water heater ao smith 20 years 😫 still running had to re lite it due to a washing machine change out. Now I'm noticing a substantial heat increased on hot side ,should I be concerned 😟
Joe Rostkowski, I would try to check the temperature of the hot water. Anything over 120 degrees is too hot. Check a faucet as close to the heater as possible. If it’s too hot, readjust it down. It might take 2-3 days before it reacts.
What are signs that you need to replace one soon vs. repair?
ssk, if you find water on the floor, you need to replace the heater. You can’t repair a leaking water heater. 99% of people do not replace a heater until it leaks. If it’s an electric heater and you don’t have hot water, you need to replace the two elements. If it’s a gas heater and the water is not hot enough, you would replace the thermostatic gas valve. But, if the heater is over ten years old, you should replace the heater.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber thanks for responding! It's gas, not leaking, but it takes like 10 minutes before we see hot water at any tap! Is that a symptom of anything repairable?
I live in Silicon Valley, my water heater usually last around 10 year. I never flush the water heater. And I will not flush it after taking your advice
Does anode rod replacement help to extend water heater duration ?
Haven’t found any proof that it does help.
After our 6 year warranty ran out I replace our anode rod every 3 years and our heater is over 25 years old, so I would say yes, at least for us it does, it’s the sacrificial rod in the tank that keeps the bad stuff in the water from attacking the steel tank, it attacks the rod instead that is how the manufacturer is able to give you the warranty, the anode rods life ends by then, we use aluminum anode rods to stop the rotten egg Oder caused by the magnesium rods. When you see the higher warranty tanks you will see they run two anode rods not one.
@@billypreston12 I was thinking of replacing the anode rods in a 4 or 5 years. My water heater is 3 years old on a 12 year heater. It should not hurt and I’m going to replace them.
So I need to replace the water heater every five years to avoid it leaking and failing? Is there any way to tell if a water heater is going to leak? Does a banging noise when it’s heating mean it is too old?
R J C Bragdon, in my area, the average life of a water heater is five years. They could last 25 years or longer, we just don’t know. Don’t worry about the banging noise unless it really bothers you. Some water heaters just make noise. If you are worried about leaking, get a water alarm and put it under the heater and this will let you know when the heater goes bad.
Hiiii! So my hot water is turning yellow, but the cold water is nice n clear. My water heater has been in my home for about 11 years...is this plumbing job going to cost Me a lot?🤦🏾♀️
She Walks It, She Talks It, I would suggest that you try draining your water heater completely. Turn the gas or electric off, turn the inlet water to the heater off, and then hook a hose to the drain and open a couple of hot water faucets to help the heater drain. Once completely drained, fill the heater back up and then turn on the gas or electricity. See if that helps. If that doesn’t work, I would recommend a new heater….unless you can live with the yellow water which doesn’t hurt anything.
My hot water heater is electric it's just a few months old..today I have no hot water. I turned the power off to push the reset button and turn the temperature down. When I took the cover off they were a little wet inside not touching the electric parts so maybe from condensation?? I still don't have any hot water it's been 7 hrs since I reset. 😢
By the way I was so glad to find your channel...I was born in Michigan raised in River Rouge now live in GA..thanks for cutting through the bull. 😊
Unfortunately, I think you have a leak as there should not be any condensation. If you had the water heater installed, call them back. If you installed it, check all your water connections. Even if the heater is fairly new, it can still be defective and the tank would be covered under warranty for 6 years and labor for one year. P.S. If you change the temperature, you need to change it equally on both thermostats.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber it's only 2 months old and I only see one thermostat at the bottom. A friend installed it. My last one lasted 25 yrs. Never one single issue ever until the bottom rusted out. Then big problem replacing floor too 😞 Thank you so much for your reply sir.
My water heater last me 30 years in California I recently replaced it
M Orozco, great to hear. Thirty years on a water heater is good anywhere.
They installed my new hot water heater directly on the concrete floor...the old one was elevated a bit. Is it ok for them to be installed without any distance off the floor? Enjoy the channel, it's like having a plumber for a friend.
Rockabill, a lot depend on your plumbing codes. If it is a basement floor or a laundry/ utility room floor, it’s ok to be on the floor. If it’s a garage, the water heater needs to be 18” off the floor. An electric water heater can be installed on the floor in the garage. Glad you enjoy the channel.
mine is 32 years old nut
am gonna buy a knew one because is just too old
Miguel, If it was my water heater, I’d keep an eye on it and replace when it leaks. I’d replace with an on demand heater and then you would probably get another 32 years.
So…. How long?
@ryanshea7617, who knows how long water heaters last with the quality of new water heaters.
@@TheGrumpyPlumber perhaps a better title would be “We don’t know how long water heaters will last” 😂