Water heater--when to replace

We have a gas water heater (hot air heat, so it is not driven off a boiler). It is about 10 years old. At the moment, it seems to be doing just fine. The only time we run out of hot water is when filling a very large bathtub. My question is: when do we need to replace this? Are there signs it is starting to go or is your first warning a massive, uncontrolled flood? How much does it cost to replace a standard hot water heater? Are there higher and lower efficiency models? Thanks so much for the advice.

200line

in Plumbers and Plumbing 13 years and 8 months ago

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Townie | 13 years and 8 months ago

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MP, one thing that I noticed is the large variation in pressure coming into the house. I bought one of those guages that records the highest pressure reached and it jumps up at night sometimes 20lbs. Might just be by chance but once our garden hose burst same time in the early morning.We have a lot of new construction in the area so the demand is way up. We also still have a lead line that we never seemed to get replaced. Do they make a flood sensor that calls your cell phone? I know they have freeze sensors for oil burner boilers that alert you when the house temp drops below freezing.

Master Plvmber | 13 years and 8 months ago

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There’s probably a reason for that, totoro. Under or over sizing a heater can shorten its life. Also, bad venting or lack of incoming fresh air can cause a corrosive condensation build up.

Townie | 13 years and 8 months ago

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I am on my third water heater in 20 years. The first two failed almost to the day the waranty expired. Both sprang leaks without any external signs of rust. The last one burst New Years day around 2a.m. while we were out of town. Ran for about 12 hours before we found it due to a neighbor’s complaint. Was not happy when I got the water bill!!! I currently have an AOSmith gas conservationist.

eman134 | 13 years and 8 months ago

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have to agree with bill regarding ao smith.. they cost more, but are a much better product than the big box items.. just installed a 30 gal conservationist on a job in noho http://www.hotwater.com/water-heaters/residential/conventional/gas/conservationist%C2%AE/ a pretty decent product… if you are not putting it in a basement, definitely consider a pan underneath conncted to a drain , or at the very least an auto shutoff…and bill , my work is none too shoddy…my contact info is on my brownstoner profile

wholesalerbill1 | 13 years and 8 months ago

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If your water heater starts to make noise, that means your annode rod is rotted out. It will pop and gurgle after using it say for a shower. Reason it pops and gurgles is the water is heated from the bottom and your drawing cooler water off the top. Time to change yur water heater. If it leaks, well, I don’t have to tell you what to do. 10 years is a good life for a water heater, especially if you have a 6 yr heater. And yes, there are degrees of eff. you can get. High eff water heaters are pretty expensive, so before you go green make sure it’s going to be cost effective. I sell AO Smith water heaters, but most brands are all good as the next. Stay away from the big box stores(Home depot, Lowes etc). Let your contractor purchase all the equipment/ They will warranty everything that way. Call Gateway. There the only guys I’ll let touch anything that has to do with heating and plumbing in my home.

BobMarvin | 13 years and 8 months ago

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I’m on my 4th hot water heater (since 1974). My cellar is unfinished, so I’ve been able to wait until they leak, but I wouldn’t recommend this if your water heater is in a finished space. The only water heater I’ve had last longer than 10 years was the one that was in my house when I bought it–it was 25 years old then and lasted a few more years, but modern water heaters, build without monel metal tanks, generally go shortly after the warranty expires.

daveinbedstuy | 13 years and 8 months ago

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It will start to make noise and leak but the leak will turn into a fairly large one quite rapidly.

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