How long is a home water heater supposed to last?

February 05, 2019, 05:13 PM

Ken226

Thanks for all the info and advice. I just got back from home depot with a new Rheem performance plus 50 gallon heater.

It's significantly taller and bigger diameter, so im re-soldering, adding som elbows and pipe to extend and reroute the water lines. Installationso far is really simple.

February 05, 2019, 07:19 PM

sunburn

A 6 year warranty water heater is engineered for 6 years and 3 months of life. Replace the anode rod yearly and extend the life almost forever.

February 05, 2019, 08:14 PM

4MUL8R

Installed a Rheem 12 year warranty gas heater after my 20 year old ruud began to fail. No leaks. Just no hot water.

February 05, 2019, 09:25 PM

preten2b

Around here the electric heaters don't last more than 10 years due to hard water. I'm on my 4th in 30 years.

I've also encountered more trouble if I follow instructions to flush sediment, than if I don't. The bottom valves don't always close tight (grit??) and they leak thru there.

February 05, 2019, 09:25 PM

MikeinNC

Make sure you put those fancy braided flex lines with some easy disconnects for when you do this again in a decade.

New house has the heater in the garage in a closet in a fancy pan...

In my two other houses in NC were on a pedestal in the garage

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February 05, 2019, 10:00 PM

Ken226

I finished the install a couple hours ago. I used the flexible copper lines, removable at both ends, with all other connections soldered.

No leaks and the water is nice and hot. I'll find out in the morning if it'll keep me in hot water throughout a nice long shower.

The unit i bought is a 50 gallon, 40,000 btu model and claims some kinda self cleaning anti-sediment thing.

This one:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rh...0T09HE40U0/204698003

February 06, 2019, 04:50 AM

jimmy123x

quote:
Originally posted by Ken226:
I finished the install a couple hours ago. I used the flexible copper lines, removable at both ends, with all other connections soldered.

No leaks and the water is nice and hot. I'll find out in the morning if it'll keep me in hot water throughout a nice long shower.

The unit i bought is a 50 gallon, 40,000 btu model and claims some kinda self cleaning anti-sediment thing.

This one:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rh...0T09HE40U0/204698003

You can also adjust the thermostats in the water heater as well. I keep mine at 120F, but usually they can be adjusted up to about 160F. Higher the setting, the higher the electric bill, but the longer you have hot water before running out.

Glad to hear the install went well. You got way too many years out of the old one!

February 06, 2019, 04:53 AM

sourdough44

Yes, sounds like you got many years out of it. Ours was 21 or 22 when it had issues.

February 06, 2019, 05:03 AM

Blume9mm

All I can tell you is there is no way the new unit is going to last half as long as the one you are replacing.... sorry, but that is the way of the hot water unit world now.... I replaced one last year that was 9 years old.... warranty was for 8.