Electric water heater life expectancy

[bigdee]

Just curious of what others have experienced. My house was built in 1974 and it still has the original water heaters...I have 2 because the house is large and the bathrooms are about 100' from each other. One is a 50 gallon and the other is a 40 gallon. Now in 43 years I have only replaced one element. I am a little concerned because one of the WH is in the house and I just put in new flooring and definitely don't want a leak.

 

[KD4UPL]

My parents electric water heater was installed in 1979. It's still in use and does not leak.

 

[Harritwo]

My electric water heater in my rental was installed in 1996. It is an 80 gal water heater and i drain it annually and flush it. No signs of leaking, i have never replaced the elements. I intend to keep it there until it is leaking or needs major repairs.

 

[MTboatguy]

It is most likely a porcelain lined tank and they can last a very long time as long as the lining was baked correctly when they built it.

 

[bigdee]

I have seen several tanks go out that were less than 10 years old. I guess the older made in USA tanks were better. I am still concerned about the one in the house so I plan on moving it into the garage which is at grade level and no danger if it was to leak.

 

[Scott Danforth]

43 years may be pushing it

 

[Boomyal]

I had to replace a 22 y/o 80 gallon tank in 2008. It started weeping up thru the top, then shortly after one of the elements went out; The new 80 gallon replacement was 2 inches larger in diameter and 10" taller. I had to raise the plumbing, coming out of the wall to accommodate the increased height.

 

[ondarvr]

I had to replace a 22 y/o 80 gallon tank in 2008. It started weeping up thru the top, then shortly after one of the elements went out; The new 80 gallon replacement was 2 inches larger in diameter and 10" taller. I had to raise the plumbing, coming out of the wall to accommodate the increased height.

​I did the same thing a couple years ago, had to make the same changes.


​How long the water heater lasts depends more on the water supplied to the house than anything else, hard water will build up deposits, soft water will eat away any exposed metal, both can cause problems.

 

[bigdee]

I'm on well water with heavy iron and magenese content that stains everything. I know public water is chlorinated which turns into salt and is corrosive. I may replace the one in the house,the other one is in the crawl space so I'm not worried about that one.

 

[gm280]

I replaced ours less then a year ago. And while it had a 9 year warranty, it only lasted 18 years. It started leaking around the lower element and I decide to just replace it. However, the newer versions now come with digital and programmable readouts with the supporting circuitry. I decided that once the water heater is initially installed and setup, who ever changes the temp after that? Not me! So we decided to go with the exact same unit we removed to the "T". But now it is only warranted for 6 years. So we will see, but I don't need a computer monitor for a water heater and pay another two hundred dollars for that useless option. Can't imagine what useless options are to come next for additional cost. JMHO!

 

[bigdee]

I replaced ours less then a year ago. And while it had a 9 year warranty, it only lasted 18 years. It started leaking around the lower element and I decide to just replace it. However, the newer versions now come with digital and programmable readouts with the supporting circuitry. I decided that once the water heater is initially installed and setup, who ever changes the temp after that? Not me! So we decided to go with the exact same unit we removed to the "T". But now it is only warranted for 6 years. So we will see, but I don't need a computer monitor for a water heater and pay another two hundred dollars for that useless option. Can't imagine what useless options are to come next for additional cost. JMHO!

Yeah that digital crap is overkill. If my standard tanks lasted 43 years I don't see how you can beat that. Here in the south digital and thunderstorms are a bad mix.

 

[Scott Danforth]

my guess is today's latest batch of installers probably don't understand the theory and setup of the mechanical thermostats in a two element system that has been around for over 100 years so they push the digital stuff.

some of the digital controls do have a timer function on them to raise/lower the temp setting as needed throughout the day/week to conserve power. however that timer chip is highly suspect and needs to be re-set every time the power blips, etc if there is a battery backup, that battery needs to be replaced every so often.....

However, if you get a quality brand, once heated, they dont use much power to maintain their temp.

unfortunately, the digital crap has a life expectancy of only about 5 years where the old bi-metallic snap switch has a life expectancy of millions of cycles.

 

[aspeck]

We built our house in 1992. I had to replace the elements 2 times before replacing the hot water heater 5 years ago ... our municipality uses potassium to soften the water and the gentleman that ran the system was overkill on the potassium. When the water heated up, the potassium solidified ... My 80 gal tank had about 40 gal of solidified potassium in the bottom of it. I was at the "lower end of the run," so I seemed to get the most build up. New guy running the water authority who uses the correct amount, not the over kill amount of potassium, a new water heater, and every 6 months I clean out the water heater. Not near the crud in it there used to be and 5 years later it is still as good as new it seems.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Now in 43 years I have only replaced one element. I am a little concerned because one of the WH is in the house and I just put in new flooring and definitely don't want a leak.

I would ask only 1 question. Which is worse, replacing the one in the house, or having it burst and saturate the floor when you're not at home and won't be back for several hours?

Decent 50gal water heaters are about $500-600 + tax. They are easy to replace. Probably cheaper than most insurance deductibles.....

If it were me. I would replace both, but as a minimum, I would replace the one in the house.

 

[bigdee]

I would ask only 1 question. Which is worse, replacing the one in the house, or having it burst and saturate the floor when you're not at home and won't be back for several hours?

Decent 50gal water heaters are about $500-600 + tax. They are easy to replace. Probably cheaper than most insurance deductibles.....

If it were me. I would replace both, but as a minimum, I would replace the one in the house.

I agree. Problem is draining the tank...it has never been drained and valve is stopped up. Probably 43 years of sediment. I will have to pump or siphon it out through top fitting. The one under house is no problem...I can remove bottom element and let it empty out onto the ground.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I wonder how many people regularly check the sacrificial anodes in their water heaters? They don't prevent buildup of sediment, of course, but they can help a heater last much longer that it would if the anodes become depleted.

 

[gm280]

I wonder how many people regularly check the sacrificial anodes in their water heaters? They don't prevent buildup of sediment, of course, but they can help a heater last much longer that it would if the anodes become depleted.

Well all I know is that I will take a water heart warranted for 9 years, but goes out in 18 years, any day of the week. IF we all would do yearly maintenance on our water heaters, they probably last even longer. But who really does? :facepalm:

Water heaters actually are extremely simple devices and it is usually the sediments that make the troubles with the lower element. JMHO

 

[bigdee]

I think another reason they fail early is because water utility requires an anti-flowback valve on main water line. This causes a constant increase in pressure during heat cycle. This constant rise and fall in pressure flexes the tank causing metal fatigue. I have not noticed this on well systems,just municipal systems. It is recommend by WH manufactures to install a captive air surge tank close to WH.

 

[Boomyal]

.......... It is recommend by WH manufactures to install a captive air surge tank close to WH.

I believe that is new construction code in our area although I do not think that we have any check valves or anti-backflow valves on our municipal water lines, only on our sprinkler lines.

 

[bigdee]

I believe that is new construction code in our area although I do not think that we have any check valves or anti-backflow valves on our municipal water lines, only on our sprinkler lines.

In my area there has been failures on tanks as early as 5 years old. Thinner walled,Chinese tanks.....major brand, 8 year warranty,spec grade. Split tanks are a sign of metal fatigue. My lake house has one of these tanks and it is also in the house. It is 13 years old and on municipal water so I'm concerned with that one too. It does have a drain pan under it and I only turn on main water when I'm there so it may last longer.