how long has your gas water heater lasted?

[crankbait09]

I have been in my home now for a year and a half. Upon moving in, I knew I would need a new water heater. Fast forward to now, and my water heater is still alive and kicking. I am now considering replacing it before it goes kaput. I am really on borrowed time right now.

My water heater has a date on it of 1988. yes, 1988! That is not a typo. So 34 years old!!!! Regardless if it had a 6, 9, or whatever year warranty, I'd say this water heater has had a good long life.

which brings me to this next question............how long has your water heater lasted you before having to replace it? can anyone beat 34 years?
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1963 Ragtop

[Mike Fisher]

38 years & still running for our electric hot water heater!
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69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
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[Zundfolge1432]

When the bottom falls out then you know it’s time to replace.

[Abscate]

That’s incredible for a gas water heater. 15 years is good.
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.ssS!

[OB Bus]

Depends somewhat on the water supply. In San Diego our tap water is extremely hard (500 ppm dissolved solids) so getting 12-14 years from a gas water heater is considered a long life. We spend a lot of time in a small town in the Sierras. The tap water there has <5 ppm of dissolved solids. I have seen water heaters in town that are over 45 years old. The electric one in our home up there is 29 years old.
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Larry in OB
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69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper.

[oprn]

Don't have one. I have a heat exchanger that transfers heat from the house hot water heating system.

I am also of the opinion that the older hot water heaters were of much superior quality just like older fridges, stoves and deep freezers. You cannot expect the same life out of a new one.
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[my59]

Water heater crapped out a few months after we bought, and the replacement was going fine when we sold 10 years later.
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my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
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[EverettB]

If I remember right the one in our current house was 17 years old when we replaced it. One of the elements had burned out, which can of course be fixed, but the bottom was showing visible exterior signs of rot 7 years earlier when something else was fixed on it and I didn't feel like having it burst a year later after we got it fixed again.
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[VW_Jimbo]

[janerick3]

1st gas water heater (builder-installed): 7.5 years (6 yr rated)

2nd gas water heater: 7.5 yrs (10 yr rated)

3rd gas water heater (current): running on 10 years (10 yr rated)

We have hard water, but our mains were replaced in 2019 and the water quality has improved.
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Thanks,
Jan K.

[jspbtown]

First water heater was 16 years old (propane on well water) and it looked and worked as good as day 1 when we sold the house. Our original builder was a stickler for energy efficiency (save the planet type guy) so I think it was a good one.

Second one is going on 15 years (propane and well) and still looks and functions like brand new.

I will probably sell this house before I need to replace it.

[Zundfolge1432]

How many people actually pull the maintenance on the heaters at least once a year ?

[Cusser]

[Zundfolge1432]

Yes, some of the higher end tanks are stainless steel but I’ve never had one. We always go with old standbys like Bradford White or A. O. Smith
that you can buy at plumbing supply stores.

Avoid buying at big box store as they don’t know shit and are useless at answering any technical questions. We have very hard water here and the tanks last about 15 year maybe 20 but I’m not going to have one burst just to see how many pennies I could save 😀

Another option is instant hot water on demand. Upfront cost is more and it uses more fuel to operate. I have zero experience with those types.

About 20 years ago I bought top of the line at lowes and it had flame lock on the pilot light. What a POS it failed within 9 months and there was a recall. I got the new parts and it failed again within a year. Too much hassle trying to deal with big box so I pulled it and just dumped it off the back of my truck at their front door. No more new fangled technology for me I went back to tried and true builder grade A.O. Smith similar and equivalent to Bradford White.

It’s bad enough when one of these things leaks and it goes unnoticed but you can get lucky and catch it early using a kit that also alerts you via your IPhone.

Would that be nice to make temp adjustments, turn on off and have leak detection?

[madmike]

If you have 'Hard' water do not get a instant hot water unit,, my buddy has to clean his about every other month he sez it's a PITA too
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[obus]

this house was built in the 50s. It is running its original boiler and the gas hot water heater is from 1978!!!

one of the techs when i 1st bought the house commented that it may not be the most economical boiler but it will most likely out live me if i maintain it properly!

I dread the day the hot water heater goes. it is a monster and will most likely flood like a sob. i still need someone to put a pan under it and a pipe to run the water somewhere
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66 21 window bus built 8/31/65 https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=777273

[slayer61]

The Mrs. and I moved into the house in 2004... and it still has the same water heater. No idea how old it is??
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[busdaddy]

I'll never know, my insurance company made me change HW tank after 20 years, and the previous one was changed about the same age to upgrade to NG from electric, neither had failed. The well pressure tanks are 47 years old though and so far so good, they say "glass lined" on them and have no bladders, fingers crossed on those since they are in a place that's going to be a pain to get at if they need replacement.

The boiler in my Mom's house is the original from 1957, they don't make em like that anymore.
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[c21darrel]

I bought my house in Oct. 1998. The 5-year water heater was 4 years old. Its 2022 and it is still works like the day i moved in. Its located in the garage, i wrapped it with one of those WH wraps to insulate. Other than that never drained it or touched it.
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