The water heater I just replaced (bought it new in '95 when I bought the house and started the remodeling) lasted 22 years. (I wish I had known to replace the anode) I purchased a new one from a local plumber/contractor that had done some work for me before and was a bit shocked to find out it would run $600 (vs $239 for the old one). The big shock, though, was when I read the warranty then asking him about it, was informed that I would be lucky to get 8 years service out of this new one. Is this true? If so, what has changed? This new unit does not say "glass lined" on the outside.
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1Don't kick yourself for not changing the anode--this is often not a simple job. The anode threads can be very difficult to break free and the ceiling above is sometimes too low to remove it. You probably got a standard good quality WH for which the warranty is 8 years. Was it installed with inlet and outflow lines which have "dielectric" couplings or was it installed with all sweated joints? (I think the use of dielectric couplings extends the life of the heater.)– Jim StewartCommented Dec 3, 2017 at 10:37
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Is this a large heater?– Harper - Reinstate MonicaCommented Dec 3, 2017 at 12:21
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1gas or electric?– agentpCommented Dec 3, 2017 at 13:02
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I got 6 years out of the last gas heater I bought. Like everything else, they are made as cheap as possible since most people don't value something that lasts over 20 years. You could buy a Marathon by Rheem that comes with a lifetime warranty since the tank is plastic. The plastic tank supposedly keeps it from creating bad smells from bad water.– ArchonOSXCommented Dec 3, 2017 at 16:56
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Update ... the heaters (both old and new are 30 gal) and both are gas. And yes, the new one appears to have dielectric couplings. Not sure on the old one.– Brad BCommented Dec 3, 2017 at 19:13
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2 Answers
The main determining factor for life expectancy of hot water heaters is the mineral content of your water supply. Although they have improved the heaters to be more corrosion resistant, the drop of the water table in many drought affected areas has caused many water utilities and homeowners to use more mineral rich water sources.
Add to that the highly corrosive fracking waste that is polluting the ground water sources and the water heaters will cry uncle in 8 years. Hot water is just much more corrosive and reactive with the added mineral electrolytes.
If your water source has not changed, don't worry, you will get 20 years out of it. If it has changed, or if you are not sure, have the water checked for mineral content and pH level. If you do have a concentrated soup of minerals in your tap or an acidic or alkali pH, an investment in a water softener might not be a bad idea if you consider the added cost of yearly bottled water over 8 years plus other appliances: dishwasher, washing machine, etc premature lifetimes.
The other important factor is the thermostat setting for the hot water heater. The hotter you keep your water the less the lifetime of the water heater. The hotter the temperature of water inside the tank, the faster the corrosive reactions. Keep your water 'warm' instead of 'hot' and your water heater will last a very long time and you will save alot on your utility bill. Some water heater are able to be controlled by home automation systems, especially the ones with electrical heaters. If you are away and won't be using the hot water for a while, just turn it off from your smart phone.
The 8 year lifespan that your technician is referring to is for the worst case where the thermostat is constantly kept at the maximum hot setting and mineral soup in the source water feed.
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I would say the main factor is the mfg ! Hard water is no problem with proper maintenance.– Ed BealCommented Dec 3, 2017 at 23:19
There are many factors, but water pressure is surely one of them. Many water utilities are forcing more water through undersized piping by increasing the water pressure. As demand increases from new developments, the water mains rarely get upgraded to meet it. The solution is forcing the water through at higher pressure. Higher water pressure contributes to higher strain on the welds of the tank. Water quality is another important factor. These two things you can have some control over. A pressure regulating valve can maintain proper pressure levels, and you can treat the water if it is excessively hard.
You don't have much control over the quality of the steel or the thickness of it however and this is something that has changed over the years. Like most things, water heaters are engineered to use as little material as is deemed adequate for a useful life expectancy of the appliance. The steel is simply thinner that it was 50 years ago and may simply be of poorer quality.
Gas heaters experience more stress than electrics due to the faster recovery periods. If you do not have something like an expansion tank installed to mitigate thermal expansion, you will have periods of high pressure that occur while the water heater is actively heating. This assumes your water company installs check valves at the water meter, making your home's water system a closed one. Hot water expands and because it has nowhere to go it translates as pressure. This will cause undue wear and tear on a tank too. Systems were not always closed in the past but the risk of contamination coming from the end user is high, so they prevent the water from being able to flow back to the system in most areas today.
These are just a few reasons you may see tanks failing earlier than in the past.
Heaters can still last 20 years, it just isn't as common. They aren't overbuilt like they once were. I occasionally pull out really old heaters that are 60 years old. I doubt we'll ever see that happening with the ones manufactured today. Those old heaters weighed twice as much as a new one and that was without being full of sediment. Control your water pressure and water quality and you will maximize the life expectancy of your heater.
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Thank you all for your help. This clarifies things a bit. I think my temp settings and maintainence habits may have contributed to the life of my old water heater. As far as minerals, we do have fairly hard water here, but a change in the source a few years ago has actually reduced the hard water deposits, so I will just keep doing what I'm doing and maybe allow myself to be a little more optimistic. Thanks again!– Brad BCommented Dec 8, 2017 at 4:37