I have a 6 year warranty electric water heater installed in 2005. It has never been flushed or had the anode replaced. I have a vacancy coming up and was wondering about replacing the heater or at least the anode. Is it too late for an anode after 13 years or would this do some good? I have an impact gun so anode removal should be fairly easy.

I changed out one for my cousin a few years back... it was from 1965, the original WH that came with his house! More than 50 years before it failed.

If you don't replace the WH when the house is vacant (easy task)...you'll have to replace it when a new tenant moves in (much more difficult task).

Conclusion: replace it now.

All of those who tell you stories about how long their WHs have lasted, ignore them. You may not be that lucky.

You can replace it now - vacant house and no flood damage, or wait and replace it when your new tenant calls you in panic, at 2 am on a weekend.

I also had a 40 tear old one that was still working in one house we bought. But who cares. They dont make anything like what they used to.

When a unit becomes vacant we automatically replace any water heater 10 years or older.

Otherwise we try to replace at 12 years. Just so much easier before there is a problem and no rush.

Also been putting in the cheap water heater alarms we buy on amazon. The fear is a tenant does not notice a small leak until it becomes a big leak.

Have also been trying out a few stainless water heaters with a lifetime tank and no anode rod needed.

Only concern on these is the 100.00 replacement elements if that part does not last. It is a 100% stainless element.

Not the more common and cheaper part stainless elements.

So far have only installed these in about 6 houses the past 5 years.

Just another item we are testing out to see if they are worth the extra cost. Time will tell.

Hiya Del!

Like all items for homes now, the old ones were made MUCH better than the newer 2005 models. HUGE difference.

Usually the thermostats and elements go out one by one on electrics so by the time you replace those you might as well have a new unit.

Me? When in doubt we swap it out. It’s gonna go sooner or later, usually on Christmas Eve night with a 20 relatives camped in the house.

Eliminate potential problems.

On my home inspection reports I tell customers the average life of a water heater is 7-12 years....this info from ASHI (the American Society of Home Inspectors).

However, I believe that number is a bit conservative...it's probably more like 10-15 years.

Whether or not to replace is up to you...I've seen many during my home inspections that are 20 years old and working fine. However, they do tend to fail suddenly and often catastrophically with a major leak....so here is what I do in our units...

1) If the water heater is in a location where leakage would not cause any damage (unfinished basement with

a sump pump/pit near it)...and there is no sign of impending failure (see below), then we leave it alone.

2) If it is in a location where it would cause damage and there are signs of impending failure, then we change it when a tenant is moved out...or if we find this during an annual inspection we will change it within a month or so.

3) If it is in a location where it would cause damage but there are no signs of impending failure...we change it at 12 years of age...or at least as close to that as we can get when a tenant moves out.

Signs of impending failure:

1) Rusting of the case...especially near the base of the tank

2) A noise called "rumbling", where it sounds like rocks are inside...this is actually calcium that has accumulated, which coats the burners or base and will cause performance issues in the medium term.

3) Insufficient heating of the water (such as if you have to crank the temp up all the way to get it hot enough)

During home inspections there are a number of other things we look for, but these are mainly around installation issues...

1) On gas units, melting of the plastic rings on top around the water pipes...this would indicate backdrafting...a potentially dangerous safety issue.

2) Lack of a TPR (Temperature Pressure Relief) extension tube or improper routing of that tube (too many things to list that could be wrong here)

3) On gas units, lack of a drip leg on the gas line...which is intended to catch rust particles that could clog the gas valve

4) On gas units in a garage, insufficient height (only applies to open combustion chamber units)...this could be an explosion hazard

5) On gas units, backdrafting evidence or leaks in the flue

6) On gas units, improper flue clearance (if flue is plastic, no clearance needed....if B-vent it requires 1" clearance from combustibles, and if single wall vent requires 6" clearance

...and a few other issues

We do drain our tanks annually to remove sediment, which in theory extends the lifespan a few years. However, if you have a plastic drain valve (common on the big-box-bought units), you should always have a new one with you when draining because they tend to leak after used sometimes.

Obviously, there are two schools of thought:

1) Let is last and fix/replace when it dies.

2) Replace and eliminate worry.

I lean toward option 1, and here's my reason why.

I rent Class C units. The key is Safe, Clean, and Functional. Well, shouldn't functional lead me toward #1? Maybe....

As with everything, there is a trade off. You have to list the Pros and Cons and make a decision. As long as you do this correctly, it shouldn't be a concern regardless of which method you choose.

I've seen new water heaters leaks 2 years after installation, so replace old with new = worry free can be just as much of a craps shoot as letting old Bessie keep chugging along.

Is it less convenient for the tenant when you to swap one out mid-tenancy? Yes. Is is prohibitively costly? No...it costs the same to do it mid-tenancy vs. during a vacancy. A competent handyman should be able to do the job for the same cost ($80-$100 in my town, includes haul off of old unit) in about 3 hours. Maybe 4 hours and +$25 if the connectors/shut offs need to be replaced.

Is it an inconvenience for the tenant? Yes, a mild one. Again, IF they report it promptly, THEN they should have a new heater by the next day...two days at most. We can all survive 1-2 DAYS without hot water. Creative folks will warm up water for washing using a stove. Most folks only do laundry 1 or 2 days per week. Hot water at the touch of a handle is important, but not critical to the continuance of life or a safety issue.

Is it a habitability issue? Could a tenant report you? Sure. You can't have a house with no hot water for weeks or months. But we're talking LESS THAN 48 hours. Most times, less than 24 hours for a new unit installed. A code inspector will take 3-4 days to have an opening in his schedule. He'll pull up in his truck about a day after my guy is done.

Class B or A tenants will probably be a bit more demanding, but I still think a swap out in 24 hours will satisfy most reasonable people. Unreasonable people cannot be satisfied, so I don't worry about their reactions.

To answer your question: I just checked my log and I have three water heaters with 20+ years on them. Several in the 12-16 range. The rest are under 10 years. If I were swapping them all out at 12-16 years, I would have paid $3000+ more for tanks and labor that might have already started leaking, as per what I mentioned earlier. I bet I can handle a few same-day or weekend swap outs and still come out more than ahead.

I do not flush them, service them, or replace rods. The regularly scheduled/recommended service costs add up to the cost of a new heater pretty quickly. If you DIY, you have to account for the value of your time. Many DIY LL's don't.

Gene,

40 gallon is about 700.00. Look on Home Depot website for westinghouse water heater. Have shipped to the store.

Only one company makes a stainless one I could ever find.

It is HTP. Westinghouse just puts their name on it.

Also advertised as a lifetime. But keep in mind. That is only the tank. And if you register it on time.

WL(CA)

This may sound stupid. But we plug off the holes in those drain pans.

If there is a slow leak like the way most start. The water will just drain out. The tenant will not notice it.

Over time the slow leak will turn into a large rupture.

And when that happens the drain or pan is not large enough to contain the water. And you have a full blown emergency and it will be to late to stop any damage.

Instead when the slow leak starts. The plugged pan will start to fill up with water over time.

A good chance the tenant will notice there is water in the pan after awhile. And hopefully smart enough to know there is a problem and call.

Then much less of an emergency or disaster.

Also we started using these cheap 10.00 water alarms from Amazon we put in the pan. Who knows if they will also work 10 years from now. But cheap enough for a little extra insurance.

In 30 years never had a large rupture or any damage yet from a water heater.

So far our way to do it seems to work. But admit maybe just lucky.

Veering slightly off topic, if you are replacing a water heater, replace it with the biggest water heater that will fit into the space. Tenants love generous hot water.

The big tank costs a little bit more. Installation costs the same. Try to keep tenants content so they don't move. Shortage of hot water is one of those things that isn't comfortable.

WH leaks usually a factor of the water corrosivity, varies by location. Remember Flint, MI? The state changed the source of their water. The new water was more corrosive, which started dissolving their lead supply pipes, which wasn't happening before, when the water was not so corrosive. Talking acid/alkiline scale, pH.

The anode rod is a sacrificial metal rod in the tank for the water to contact in the tank. Corrosive water will preferentially attack the metal in the rod, slowly dissolving it, before it attacks the metal in the tank itself. Once the rod is dissolved away, the corrosive water will start eating away at the tank.

So by renewing the anode rod whenever it gets consumed could potentially conserve the tank for many many years.

Something to consider... We installed water sensors in the pans. If they detect water, they automatically cut off the water and sound a siren. The only damage you'll suffer is from water already in the tank leaking out.

OWS there is no reason to put a 70 gal tank for a 1br unit as the PM did before I managed myself.

OP I just changed the elements and temp units on a 2004 electric unit. Thought it was the elements that were bad but it was the temp unit. Runs like new. The anode was a crusty barnacle looking thing I left it alone.

Robert,

We are not talking about indirect water heaters.

Just your normal electric water heaters. A stainless one is no different than a standard electric water heater.

A stainless model looks and works the same. It is just the tank and elements are made of stainless steel. And no need for a anode rod. The thermostats and everything is the same.

And cost about 200.00 more.

WOW!

Considering how long some respondents here claim to be getting 12 - 25 years of use out of their gas hot water heaters, am I am wasting money paying $20.00 per month to rent each one of them from the gas company?

Thank you

Yes, of course.

Yes, of course.

I seem to get about 15-18 years from my electric ones. We installed 2 in 2000 in my home. Took them out in Dec 2016 and replaced with a natural gas on demand water heater. It is just hubby and me most of the time, so might be overkill, but previously we had one in the basement and one on 2nd floor just for that bathroom. They couldn’t get the upstairs one to drain. Hauled it (30 gal) down fulll. Set it down outside and it immediately broke open. I figure we missed a flood by a couple of months.

Charlie,