How Long Does A H2o Heater Last?

Water heaters perform the important role of providing the house amongst hot H2O. However, similar nigh appliances, a unmarried unit cannot last forever too has to be replaced afterward roughly years.

How long a H2O heater lasts is determined past a diverseness of factors. In this article, I provide information on the lifespan of unlike types of H2O heaters and too the factors that influence the lifespan of water heaters inwards general.

Gas water heaters terminal 8-12 years. Electric H2O heaters terminal 12-xv years. Indirect water heaters last fifteen-twenty years. Stainless steel-tanked H2O heaters last 12-20 years. Glass-lined H2O heaters final x-xv years. Tankless water heaters terminal 15-20+ years.

Average Lifespan of Water Heaters

The lifespan of a water heater is dependent on a diversity of factors, 2 of which are the type of water heater as well as the textile used to make the hot water tank (if the heater has a tank).

Heater type	Average lifespan
Gas H2O heater	eight-12 years
Electric water heater	12-15 years
Stainless steel H2O heater tanks	12-20 years
Glass-lined too enamel H2O heater tanks	x-fifteen years
Tankless water heater	xv-20+ years
Storage tank water heater	x-15 years
Indirect H2O heater	xv-xx years

Factors Influencing the Lifespan of Water Heaters

Type of Water Heater

Although they serve the same role, all water heater units do non role the same style.

Each type of water heater has its distinct pattern as well as mode of performance. So, how long your H2O heater volition last is going to be determined past the type of H2O heater you lot function.

For easier agreement, I’ve divided H2O heaters into ii broad categories based on their style of performance.

Water storage ability

Mode of rut generation

Water Storage Ability

The starting time category focuses on the heater’sec power to store hot water. There are ii types of water heaters in this category; the tank together with tankless H2O heater.

Tankless H2O heaters make non shop hot H2O. They role either a gas burner or an electrical heating chemical element to oestrus water on ask. As a effect, tankless H2O heaters aren’t likely to suffer harm from corrosive water elements too H2O pressure level.

Illustration of Tankless Water Heater and its parts inside

Tank water heaters are popularly referred to every bit storage tank H2O heaters. Similar to tankless H2O heaters, they oestrus water using either a gas burner or an electrical heating element.

However, in improver, they characteristic an insulated tank that heats in addition to stores water until it is needed. So, it shouldn’t come equally a surprise that tank water heaters vesture out a lot faster than tankless units.

The average life span of a tankless water heater is fifteen-twenty years, amongst reports of the heater sometimes lasting longer than the twenty-year grade. Storage tank heaters on the other manus have an average lifespan of x-15 years.

Mode of Heat Generation

Another ingredient that influences the lifespan of a water heater is the energy root for heating the water.

The operation of a gas H2O heater is cheaper than an electric water heater. However, the heating system of gas water heaters is nether more than strain too does non concluding every bit long every bit the electrical heating systems. Thus, gas heaters terminal 3-five years less than electric H2O heaters.

There are just about water heaters, though these are less mutual, which are not heated alongside gas or electricity. Instead, hot water from the boiler is passed through coils that extend into the water heater tank, as well as the rut is transferred from the water in the coils to the H2O inwards the tank. These are known every bit indirect water heaters.

Because they are non subjected to the extreme estrus of a burner or electric chemical element, these heaters tend to concluding longer than either gas or electrical heaters.

The average lifespan of gas water heaters is reported to be betwixt viii-12 years while electrical H2O heaters are said to final betwixt 12-fifteen years. Indirect H2O heaters terminal 15-twenty years.

Water Heater Material too Quality

Water heaters are composed of a diversity of components as well as it isn’t very likely that all the parts of the unit would rest in skilful shape throughout the H2O heater’s life. Thankfully, more or less components of the water heater tin can live replaced whenever they wear out.

One element that cannot be easily replaced is the H2O heater tank. More frequently than non, the wearing out of the tank is a clear indication that the water heater is due for a replacement.

Opened water heater tank for repair with corroded anode rod

The ii major contending material used for building water heater tanks are stainless steel and glass-lined steel.

Glass-Lined Water Heater Tanks

Glass-lined H2O heater tanks are built by applying a drinking glass lining to the interior constituent of a steel tank. This fashion, the steel tank is protected against corrosive elements inwards the water past a corrosion-resistant drinking glass coating.

However, it is just superficial protection and isn’t e'er 100% penetration-proof. As a consequence, this type of water heater needs an anode rod for additional protection.

Glass-lined water heaters have an average lifespan of ten-fifteen years. If they aren’t properly maintained they can degrade well earlier the 10-year grade.

Stainless Steel Water Heater Tanks

Stainless steel is known for its corrosion resistance making it a option textile for H2O heater tanks too as other H2O heater parts.

Water heater tanks constructed amongst stainless steel are stronger in addition to more than durable than those crafted alongside drinking glass-lined steel. The interior part of the tank features an unreactive oxide barrier that protects the tank against corrosive elements.

In add-on to that, the exterior component of the tank is besides made with stainless steel and then it isn’t at take chances of corroding and causing tank leaks.

As a outcome, stainless steel tanks tend to concluding longer than glass-lined tanks, amongst an average lifespan of 12-xx. It can as well concluding longer than ten years if it is properly maintained.

The durability of stainless steel tanks is dependent on the course of steel used.

As a general dominion of pollex, the higher the chromium (chromium oxide is the protective layer over the stainless steel), titanium (a notoriously corrosion-resistant metallic), molybdenum, and nickel components of the stainless steel tank, the higher its forcefulness too corrosion resistance.

Anode Rod

Water heaters tanks are very vulnerable to rust and corrosion. If your hot H2O tank is constructed amongst high-lineament stainless steel then this mightiness not place any serious trouble. Stainless steel tank-manner H2O heaters don’t even demand anode rods.

However, glass-lined tanks are at risk of suffering from the corrosive elements inwards the H2O. Hence the need for anode rods.

Anode rods are metallic rods that go downwardly the middle of the tank as well as protect the interior of the tank from corrosion as well as rust. The machinery of activity depends on what type of anode rod is used.

There are ii types of anode rods:

Sacrificial anode rods

Powered anode rods.

Sacrificial anode rods are made of reactive material similar aluminum, magnesium, together with aluminum/zinc alloy. Powered anode rods on the other mitt are made from sturdier materials similar titanium in addition to mixed metallic oxide.

The reason why sacrificial anode rods are made from more metals is that their job is to attract the corrosive elements in the stored H2O. They degrade and so that the H2O tank does non. As a effect, sacrificial anode rods entirely last nearly three-5 years.

To ameliorate the life of your heater, it’second advised that a maintenance check live done on the sacrificial anode rod yearly in addition to that the rod is replaced when it has depleted up to 50%.

Failure to replace the anode rod at this stage leaves your H2O heater tank open up to corrosion and if this remains the example for long, your H2O heater tank would go along to corrode in addition to eventually showtime leaking.

Powered anode rods role an electric electric current to foreclose corrosion. They are not designed to degrade too so they tin terminal upwards to vii-fifteen years.

The Temperature of the Water

Most water heaters take a default setting of 140 °F. However, the recommended temperature by the U.southward. Environmental Protection Agency is 120 °F.

Using a higher temperature than this doesn’t only increase your free energy neb, it besides puts y'all at hazard of scalding together with tin drive damage to your water heater tank likewise every bit connecting pipes and valves.

Moreover, ane of the principal causes of water heater leaks is corrosion. The run a risk of corrosion increases exponentially when y'all work the heater at temperatures above 130 °F.

Running your heater at extremely high temperatures encourages mineral construct-upwards together with it too increases the harm caused past hard water.

Running your heater at extremely high temperatures encourages mineral build-up and it also increases the damage caused by hard water

If minerals proceed to construct upwardly over a menstruum of fourth dimension, they attach to the trunk of the water heater and pose a strain on the heater components. If this continues for a prolonged catamenia without maintenance checks, it would eventually atomic number 82 to the breakdown of the unit of measurement.

Frequency of Use

The frequency of function ordinarily influences the lifespan of appliances together with water heaters aren’t an exception.

High take for hot water means that your H2O heater has to continuously operate to furnish yous with heated water together with this is applicable inward both tankless as well as tank H2O heaters.

Depending on the rut root used past your unit of measurement, persistent utilization of a residential water heater tin can crusade the breakdown of water heater components together with likewise bring down the heater’sec lifespan.

Lower take for heated water means that the unit of measurement doesn’t accept to operate and so hard together with this would increase your H2O heater’s life span inwards the long operate.

Another thing that is influenced by how often you run your water heater is your free energy beak.

Water Hardness

Hard water can trim down the lifespan of a H2O heater past upward to two years. This is because difficult H2O contains excess minerals, prevalently calcium too magnesium.

The mineral make-upwards caused past hard water tin can increment free energy use, clog pipes, cut down the heater’second efficiency, and lead to the breakdown of the H2O heater.

As I stated before, difficult H2O becomes a bigger problem when the water is extremely hot. This is because heated temperature encourages mineral separation as well as when this happens, they settle at the bottom of the water heater tank. A continued buildup of these minerals can obstruct the activities of the rut exchanger, causing the unit of measurement to run extra difficult to heat H2O to your desired temperature.

The minerals tin can as well build up on the anode rod, reducing its effectiveness.

The make-upwardly of minerals agency that the heater would constantly necessitate repairs too maintenance too if it is left unattended, it would effort the eventual breakdown of the unit.

Location of the Water Heater

Water heaters serve the master purpose of heating and supplying heated H2O. So, to ensure the optimal operation of the heater, it is best to install the unit of measurement inward a temperature-conditioned location.

With that said, water heaters that are situated inwards unconditioned locations, for case, a chilly crawl infinite or garage, are at gamble of breaking downwards before i that is installed inwards a conditioned expanse.

This is because the contrasting external temperature would strength the unit to function extra hard to maintain your desired water temperature. The constant strain on the unit would strength it to pause downwards earlier than it should.

If you lot pose your H2O heater inwards a damp location, the external portions of the tank volition as well be exposed to water. There are fewer protective measures in place for the external side of the tank because it is not supposed to come up into contact amongst H2O regularly.

This way that your H2O heater may offset to rust from the exterior in.

Installation Quality

The installation lineament of the water heater plays a part in determining the unit’sec efficiency besides as its lifespan. This is why it is recommended that yous achieve out to a professional to install appliances similar water heaters.

technician reviewing notes of water heater after installation

Water heaters are supposed to be installed according to manufacturer instructions also every bit plumbing codes. Here are roughly things to look out for:

Proper pipage connections.

Proper installation of force per unit area valves too discharge tubes.

Usage of appropriate installation materials.

Right installation procedures are followed.

The tank itself isn’t bashed or mishandled during the installation procedure.

A poorly installed water heater would most probable accept a shorter lifespan than 1 that is correctly installed.

Level of Maintenance

The durability of your water heater is likewise influenced past how much tending the unit of measurement receives.

For an efficient as well as long-lasting water heater, it is advised that y'all perform frequent maintenance checks on the unit of measurement.

By committing to routine H2O heater maintenance, you lot ensure that faults are discovered earlier they crusade lasting damage to the unit of measurement. That’second why good-maintained H2O heaters frequently last longer than their proposed lifespan.

Some people only pay attending to their unit of measurement when a H2O heater factor is inward ask of repair. If this is the instance, your H2O heater would almost likely break downwards before than it should because the neglect would eventually lead to problems that cannot be fixed by a technician.

How to Properly Maintain a Water Heater

We’ve established that proper in addition to consistent water heater maintenance improves its efficiency too life bridge. Here are around maintenance procedures that would aid you lot increase your H2O heater life.

Set the heater temperature to 120 °F. This temperature setting is only correct as well as tin run across your needs without causing scalding or harm to the H2O heater tank in addition to its other elements.

Flush the water heater in addition to wash out sediments at least one time a yr. However, difficult water expedites the make-upwardly of minerals, then if yous have a hard H2O furnish, it’s advised that y'all even the H2O heater every vi months. This removes sediments too debris that would otherwise lay a strain on the heater. It as well reduces the hazard of corrosion as well as rust.

Test the temperature/pressure level-relief (TPR) valve annually. The TPR valve detects dangerous temperature levels together with force per unit area buildup in the H2O heater together with automatically opens to salvage the estrus together with force per unit area inward the heater. If the pressure builds up too the valve isn’t operation, it could effort the heater to intermission downward, or worse it can movement your H2O heater to explode!

Replace the sacrificial anode rod every three-5. However, if you purpose a H2O softener, you lot volition likely take to supersede the rode before the three-twelvemonth score because H2O softeners effort anode rods to deteriorate faster. Also, if you lot are performing your routine check and discover that the rod is covered inwards calcium or that it has depleted to 1/two″, I propose that y'all supervene upon the anode rod.

Insulate the H2O heater and pipings. Insulation prevents rut loss. So, spell uninsulated units work extra difficult to make upward for rut loss as well as provide your desired H2O temperature, well-insulated water heaters put less strain on the unit.

If your dwelling features low-lineament H2O, you lot tin can install a sediment filter inward tankless H2O heaters. This will forestall debris and impurities from entering the tank. However, if y'all decide to install a sediment filter, it should live noted that the filter needs to be replaced monthly.

For optimal water heater operation, accept a professional person carry a routine maintenance bank check on the unit at least in one case a twelvemonth.

Signs that Your Water Heater is inward Need of Replacement

The water heater produces irregular sounds.

The unit of measurement takes longer to heat H2O.

Drop inward water temperature.

Water pooling around the base of the heater.

Discolored water.

The heater takes longer to heat water.

The water heater stops supplying hot H2O.

However, these signs could be caused by faults that tin can easily live repaired by a professional. So, it’sec best to explore other solutions earlier proceeding to purchase a novel H2O heater. If you lot make decide o buy a novel heater, then look into taking your erstwhile one to the metal recyclers.