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Water heaters are designed to last a long time, but they will not last forever. Depending on whether you have a gas or electric water heater, it can last longer or need to be replaced sooner.
Of course, scheduling annual water heater maintenance in Ogden, UT, also plays a role in how long your water heater will last. Keep reading if you want to learn more about caring for your water heater and how long you can expect it to last.
Water Heater Lifespan
If you have a gas water heater, you can expect it to last for between 8 and 12 years. If you have an electric water heater, you can expect it to last for between 10 and 15 years. The secret to having your water heater last longer is investing in annual maintenance.
If you skip out on maintenance, your water heater will not last as long. It may only last 8 to 10 years. However, if you schedule professional maintenance each year with our team, your water heater can easily last for 12 to 15 years, if not longer. If you have never scheduled water heater maintenance, it’s not too late.
Schedule an appointment now with our team and we can take steps to ensure your water heater can have a longer than average lifespan. We can even estimate how long we think your water heater will last based on its current condition. If your water heater is near the end of its lifespan, we may be able to make some repairs that allow it to last for another year or so while you plan ahead for a replacement.
Homeowner Responsibilities
When it comes to your water heater, there aren’t any maintenance steps that you need to complete as a homeowner. But you do still have some responsibility for taking care of your water heater. Most of the time a water heater tank is in a closet or garage. You probably don’t give it much thought, but it is important to stay in tune with how your water heater operates.
You want to inspect your water heater around once a month to check for leaks and listen for unusual sounds. If you notice anything out of the ordinary happening with your water heater, give our team a call. It’s always better to stay ahead of problems than to wait until your water heater stops working completely. Examples of things to watch for include changes in water pressure, changes in water temperature, discoloration in water, and unusual sounds coming from your water heater.
When to Call It Quits
While there are some steps that we can take to help extend your water heater’s life, there is a point that we can no longer do anything. If rust begins to develop inside of your water tank, we cannot make repairs to extend its lifespan any longer. Rust will continue to spread until your water tank develops a hole.
Keep in mind that rust on the outside of the tank can sometimes be addressed. If rust is developing on an attached component, we can remove that component and replace it with a new one before the rust has a chance to spread to your actual tank. This often happens with valves and other connections.