How long has your gas water heater lasted you |
0-5 years |
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4% |
[ 2 ] |
5-10 years |
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12% |
[ 5 ] |
10-15 years |
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9% |
[ 4 ] |
15-20 years |
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24% |
[ 10 ] |
20+ |
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48% |
[ 20 ] |
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Total Votes : 41 |
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crankbait09 Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2016 Posts: 1304 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 5:26 pm Post subject: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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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? _________________ 1963 Ragtop |
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Mike Fisher Samba Member
Joined: January 30, 2006 Posts: 17968 Location: Eugene, OR
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 5:42 pm Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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38 years & still running for our electric hot water heater! _________________ https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold
Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey |
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Zundfolge1432 Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004 Posts: 12467
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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When the bottom falls out then you know it’s time to replace. |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22639 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:07 pm Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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That’s incredible for a gas water heater. 15 years is good. _________________ .ssS! |
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OB Bus Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2003 Posts: 2536 Location: Ocean Beach in Beautiful BLUE California
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:12 pm Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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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. _________________ Larry in OB
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
69 Westfalia and 2002 Eurovan Camper. |
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oprn Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016 Posts: 12708 Location: Western Canada
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:57 pm Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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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. _________________ We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age) |
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my59 Samba Member
Joined: August 13, 2003 Posts: 3791 Location: connecting the dots
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:59 pm Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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Water heater crapped out a few months after we bought, and the replacement was going fine when we sold 10 years later. _________________ my59: Well son, my grandfather died before I got to drive it, so does that answer your question?
our79: sunroof bus w/camper interior and 2.0 FI
Other:'12 Jetta, '77 Benz 300D, and a 74 MG Midget. |
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EverettB Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000 Posts: 69807 Location: Phoenix Metro
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:44 pm Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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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. _________________ How to Post Photos
Everett Barnes - [email protected] | My wanted ads
"Water is the only drink for a wise man" | "Communication prevents complaints"
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VW_Jimbo Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2016 Posts: 9954 Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 12:17 am Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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oprn wrote: |
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. |
Designed obsolescence! It is what it is right now. _________________ Jimbo
There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but all the time necessary the second time!
TDCTDI wrote: |
Basically, a whole bunch of fuckery to achieve a look. |
67rustavenger wrote: |
GFY's Xevin and VW_Jimbo! |
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janerick3 Samba Member
Joined: June 04, 2006 Posts: 1879 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 12:48 am Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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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. _________________ Thanks,
Jan K. |
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jspbtown Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2004 Posts: 5156
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Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 6:57 am Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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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. |
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Zundfolge1432 Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004 Posts: 12467
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Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 8:43 am Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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How many people actually pull the maintenance on the heaters at least once a year ? |
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Cusser Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 31361 Location: Hot Arizona
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Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 8:54 am Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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Zundfolge1432 wrote: |
How many people actually pull the maintenance on the heaters at least once a year ? |
Very few !!!
Mostly maintenance is removing sediment from the bottom (I've had to use coat hangers to break this up, then use shop vac to pull our particles) and to replace the anode rod which is there to sacrificially donate its electrons so the steel fittings (like for water inlet/outlet fittings and heater elements on electric heaters) don't corrode and cause water leakage.
I've even made my own water inlet tube from copper pipe once the original fill tube to the bottom broke off. Yes, the sacrificial anode can be tough to remove if not checked frequently/yearly, but until the water heater leaks externally, most stuff can be fixed.
OK, my hands on: 33 years in Home #1, electric water heater, I have replaced twice myself.
Home #2 new in 2002: propane-fueled water heater has only needed replacement thermistor so the pilot light would operate properly.
Some water heaters have relatively small drain valves, so flushing out sediment can be a pain the butt !!!! _________________ 1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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Zundfolge1432 Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004 Posts: 12467
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Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2022 9:33 am Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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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?
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madmike Samba Member
Joined: July 11, 2005 Posts: 5292 Location: Atlanta,Michigan
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 5:56 am Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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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 _________________ 'Black Ice'Drag Buggy 'Turbo'
Rail Buggy 1915 turbo
76 Drag/Street bug 2180cc 'Turbo' 11:85 @113 mph"If I go any faster I'll burn up the Hamster" ,gets 28 mpg. also 10/09/22 11.90 @115 mph
"If I'm ever on Life Support,UNPLUG Me, Then Plug me back In see if that Works" |
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obus Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2001 Posts: 11065 Location: just off Garden State Parkway Exit 81
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slayer61 Samba Member
Joined: June 01, 2021 Posts: 1018 Location: CA
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 2:36 pm Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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The Mrs. and I moved into the house in 2004... and it still has the same water heater. No idea how old it is?? _________________
Cusser wrote: |
... Most folks are idiots when it deals with electrical !!! |
67rustavenger wrote: |
3/4 race cam? What's missing, one of the lobes? |
Paul
'68 Manx clone... Sears??
2276 built on AS21 case
W-125 w/ GB 1.25:1 rockers
Mahle forged pistons
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deep sump
44 HPMX
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1 5/8 merged collector w/ hater stinger |
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busdaddy Samba Member
Joined: February 12, 2004 Posts: 51125 Location: Surrey B.C. Canada, but thinking of Ukraine
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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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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. _________________ Rust NEVER sleeps and stock never goes out of style.
Please don't PM technical questions, ask your problem in public so everyone can play along. If you think it's too stupid post it here
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Слава Україні! |
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Abscate Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014 Posts: 22639 Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 12:46 am Post subject: Re: how long has your gas water heater lasted? |
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Quote: |
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 half the running cost vs a tank in my experience with 7 girl showers every morning. You need to run vinegar through them annually per the manual, takes about an hour
Linda’s tank last s forever but it doesn’t make hot water _________________ .ssS! |
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c21darrel Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009 Posts: 8211 Location: San Dimas
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