Rant: My water heater hit 20 years old last month and I had no idea until it started leaking in the basement

I was totally shocked when the plumber pulled out the serial number and told me my water heater was older than my teenager, and now I'm wondering if anyone else has ever found out their appliances were ancient the hard way after a flood?

3 comments

3 Comments

finleyl3912d ago

Did you see that Consumer Reports study a while back where they found most water heaters fail between 8 and 12 years? Sounds like you beat the odds by a mile, which is kind of impressive even if it ended in a flood.

phoenix57312d ago

My 15 year old water heater started making funny noises for about a year before it finally gave out, so I actually had some warning (though I ignored it because, you know, denial). I'm honestly kind of impressed yours made it to 20 without any signs, most of the ones I've dealt with start acting up around 12-15 years. I've learned to check the serial numbers on appliances when I move into a place now, just so I can budget for replacements before they flood the basement at 2am on a Sunday.

paulw5312d ago

You said it made funny noises for a year before dying. That's actually sediment buildup, not a warning sign. It means the tank is getting crusty inside. By the time you hear it, the lining is already damaged. You're right about checking serial numbers though. I date mine on the side with a marker so I don't have to hunt for the sticker later.