Things to Keep in Mind When It Comes to Your Water Heater
Your hot water heater is probably the most underestimated machine in your home. Think about it – without a water heater, you couldn’t have any of the following:
- Warm showers
- Warm baths
- Clean dishes
- Sanitized towels and sheets
- Hot water, period.
Given the power of the water heater, do you truly know a good amount about it? We’re here with some things to remember when it comes to replacing, maintaining, and servicing your water heater.
The typical lifespan of residential water heaters is 10-12 years.
Natural gas and electric water heaters will typically last about a decade before you need to think about replacing the water heater. If you aren’t sure about the age of your water heater, the date the unit was manufactured will be shown in the serial number which you can find on the ID sticker on the water heater tank.
Maturing water heaters are nothing to take lightly. A water heater that is a decade or older is at more risk of producing a leak and resulting in water damage to your home. If your water heater sits in your attic or above the bottom floor, the potential for catastrophic damage goes up. Always have your water heater maintenance yearly to prevent any leaks from creating damage in your home.
The most usual malfunction of residential water heaters that will entail replacement is a leaking tank.
It is a good idea to have your installer place the water heater in a drain pan with piping that lets the pan to drain outside of your home and decrease the probability of water damage. Each water heater should have a operational and accessible shut-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 switch off should be positioned nearby.
If a water heater is “undersized,” in particular a gas water heater, the equipment will malfunction in a shorter period of time.
When a gas water heater is consistently emptied of hot water due to substantial hot water utilization, the gas burner is set off more often which can produce heavy condensation on the tank exterior. The condensation can create more speedy deterioration of the steel tank. Furthermore, the extreme heat from the gas burner on the underside of the water heater tank can also deteriorate the glass lining on the interior of the tank, which lowers the lifespan of the water heater.
Water Heater sizing is an important 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 usually better to go with a sizable 50 gallon tank, rather than a 30 or 40 gallon tank, providing the location will accept the larger size. The 50 gallon tank will also supply you more hot water capacity.
