Generally speaking, a water heater can last up to 10 to 15 years depending on how it's been taken care of and maintained. If you've had a licensed professional regularly inspect your unit, you may have it for up to 15 years. However, if your water heater is older than 15 years, it might be time to replace it for a few different reasons.
Age
An older water heater is a dangerous water heater. Water heaters are an appliance that needs to be taken care of seriously because the issues that can occur can be dangerous, or even fatal. Water heaters, when too old or broken, can cause explosions that can be fatal to you, your family, and your home. Aging water heaters are at risk for corrosion, which causes cracks, leaks, and explosions. It's important to replace an aged water heater to ensure the safety of your family.
New Technology
Newer water heaters can be more efficient, which means it'll use less energy and save you money on your electricity bills.
Sediment
Water heaters will naturally create sediment in the bottom of the tank, which will cause an old water heater to work harder to heat the water in your home, causing your electric bills to go higher, but also will leave less space for hot water, so your hot water heater may run out of hot water faster if it is an older water heater.
Do I have to replace my water heater? Can I do it myself?
You may not have to replace your water heater if it's younger than 10 years old and it's not showing any serious signs of danger like leaks, cracks, or banging noises from within the tank. Here are the signs it's time to replace:
Leaks
If you see a puddle under your hot water heater, this could mean the tank has cracked or corroded somewhere or it could be an issue with your pressure relief valve. If it's the pressure relief valve, this means there's too much pressure building up within the tank, which is dangerous because it could lead to explosions. Furthermore, a leak can cause damage to the structure of your home. A leak is both dangerous and costly. If you've got a leak, you'll want to contact a professional right away to assess the situation and take care of it. Our licensed and insured professionals at 1-800-Plumber +Air of Northwest San Antonio are happy to help 24/7.
Cracks
If the water heater unit is cracked, it's probably time to replace it. However, if it's a valve or a drain line, it might be able to be repaired. The reason a cracked unit needs to be repaired is because it can turn into a dangerous situation. You can avoid cracks in a water heater (until they're too old), by scheduling routine water heater flushes by a licensed professional.
Knocking sounds
If your water heater is making a knocking or a banging sound, this is probably loose sediment. The sediment is a natural build up of minerals in water and can be avoided by the regular flushes from a licensed professional. These knocking sounds mean that your water heater isn't running efficiently, which can cause higher water bills and can damage your water heater unit, making it less likely to last for too long. If you don't want to replace it sooner rather than later, call a professional to take care of the knocking sound.
Water won't heat up or stay hot
If your showers are turning cold after a few minutes, or you're not getting any hot water at all, that's a sign it may be time to replace the unit. Water heaters aren't meant to last longer than 15 years, and shouldn't be kept longer because it's a hazard. However, if your unit isn't old and your hot water is running cold too soon, call a professional to get your water heater replaced or repaired!
Don't try to replace it yourself
Trying to replace a water heater by yourself is a dangerous situation. Because there are different codes and policies to follow when replacing and installing a water heater, never try to do this on your own because it will compromise your safety, your family's safety, and the safety of your home. Always hire a professional, like 1-800-Plumber +Air of Northwest San Antonio, to ensure your water heater is installed safely and correctly.
How to make a water heater last longer
Water heaters are only meant to last for 10 to 15 years, and the best way to make it last that long is to have it regularly maintanenced by a licensed professional. A plumber will make sure everything with the valves and the tank is in order, but they will also make sure to flush the sediment from the tank regularly to ensure it doesn't crystallize to the sides of the tank. If this sediment is left in the water heater, it can continue to grow and cause issues in the future, like your hot water not lasting longer than a few minutes, or it'll cause your water heater to work a lot harder, making it break sooner than if it were regularly flushed.
