Hot Water heater life expectancy

[NJRR]

Sonny had an AO **** water heater with a 1 yr warranty .....1 year and 5 days "it" started leaking......
long story .. (made short)
I called them, I wrote to them, & called the store.....

I was "Out of Luck"....they would NOT do a thing about it.

maybe
they should have given me a pro rated new one.....and save someone like me NOT writing this post......
I now have a rheem water heater

Not to hijack the thread, but like SOnny, I had a similar experience with Honda. 39 month lease, 36 month warranty on a Pilot. Brake safety switch fails month 37. Took it to the dealer figuring they would warranty it. Nope, out of luck. $200 to replace a $10 switch. I'll do it myself I said. Ok, $150 for diagnosis. Needless to say, never did and never will get a Honda product again.

I usually get 15 years out of water heaters in NJ. I have 2 50gal ones twinned together now ( 75 gal Jacuzzi tub that the wife loves). I drain the sludge every 6 months. I'm 12 years into them now. We'll see soon enough.

 

[BeeKool]

That is very unusual. In my area, you are lucky to get away with 6-8 years max, and it doesn't matter what warranty you buy.

X2.
I have a Kinetico Water Softener, but well water is still hard on them.
Mine is propane and maybe 10 years old

 

[ws23jrt]

It seems like the kind of water that gets heated is a big part if a heaters life.
I have an electric one I got 30 years ago and the drain water always looks clean.
How do I know when the life is up on mine?

 

[BeeKool]

It seems like the kind of water that gets heated is a big part if a heaters life.
I have an electric one I got 30 years ago and the drain water always looks clean.
How do I know when the life is up on mine?

1. It quits working
2. It burns the house down.

 

[ws23jrt]

1. It quits working
2. It burns the house down.

Note to self.---Shopping list.
1. Water heater
2. mattress.
They are both old and that is enough of a reason.
Note #2 to self.--I am getting older and with a new water heater and mattress I may continue past -my- expiration date.

 

[Ranger16]

I now have a rheem water heater

My 36 year old water heater is a Rheem.

 

[Ranger16]

1. It quits working
2. It burns the house down.

3. When it starts leaking.

 

[BeeKool]

My 36 year old water heater is a Rheem.

Good brand.
I'm sure new ones (like everything else) aren't as rugged as old ones

 

[ws23jrt]

3. When it starts leaking.

I guess if one still had a waterbed that would apply to both a water heater and a mattress.

 

[alsant]

Gas water heater. Rheem lasted 26 yrs. started leaking through the vent stack like a gizer! Lucky I was home.

 

[GetX'd]

It seems like the kind of water that gets heated is a big part if a heaters life.
I have an electric one I got 30 years ago and the drain water always looks clean.
How do I know when the life is up on mine?

You'll know when the life's up because they start leaking- and you have cold water. It's pretty easy to figure out - they basically tell you they're dead.

 

[NJRR]

You'll know when the life's up because they start leaking- and you have cold water. It's pretty easy to figure out - they basically tell you they're dead.

If your heater is old, it's good to check it at regular intervals to see if there are any drips underneath it. When they start to rust out, if you're lucky, it starts with a small drip and not a catastrophic gushing of water. I have a second fridge in my basement that we use when we buy in bulk and I'm usually down there at least every other day. I made it a habit to look at the floor by the water heaters for water. I did catch a leaking safety relief valve like that before I had a big mess to clean up.

 

[GetX'd]

If your heater is old, it's good to check it at regular intervals to see if there are any drips underneath it. When they start to rust out, if you're lucky, it starts with a small drip and not a catastrophic gushing of water. I have a second fridge in my basement that we use when we buy in bulk and I'm usually down there at least every other day. I made it a habit to look at the floor by the water heaters for water. I did catch a leaking safety relief valve like that before I had a big mess to clean up.

It's CA code that you have to have a relief pan and a drain pipe leading away from the pan so you can contain/control the flow. Mine is in the garage so little chance for a major issue.

 

[Darthomas]

Hard water means about 15 years max.
Scale will build on the heating surface in a gas dryer, and on the heating element of an electric.
Mine lasted about 16 before weeping, and shutting off the pilot light.
Never had to change it, sold the house, and the trashed boiler, too, that started leaking and rusting out @ 6 years.
Spent 10 years patching it and feeding oatmeal, sawdust, cylinder head sealer.
Hard water is a bitch.
The boiler in the house was from 1974.
The one I had put in in 1998, I figured was new.

No. I spoke to the new owners.
The boiler I bought in 1998 was cast in 1974 also. ??
Weil-McClean...I wanted a boiler from Michigan City, but didn't expect such a quick demise, and 10 years of patching to try to get my $10,000 worth.

 

[NJRR]

Hard water means about 15 years max.
Scale will build on the heating surface in a gas dryer, and on the heating element of an electric.
Mine lasted about 16 before weeping, and shutting off the pilot light.
Never had to change it, sold the house, and the trashed boiler, too, that started leaking and rusting out @ 6 years.
Spent 10 years patching it and feeding oatmeal, sawdust, cylinder head sealer.
Hard water is a bitch.
The boiler in the house was from 1974.
The one I had put in in 1998, I figured was new.

No. I spoke to the new owners.
The boiler I bought in 1998 was cast in 1974 also. ??
Weil-McClean...I wanted a boiler from Michigan City, but didn't expect such a quick demise, and 10 years of patching to try to get my $10,000 worth.

Cast iron boilers can last decades. The one in my mom's house is over 40 years old.
Different with water heaters. They are just steel tanks.

 

[super-bee_ski]

Plan on a "good 15 years"