Posted on 02/02/2011 3:08:04 PM PST by Bean Counter
Our 1985 model 50 gallon electric hot water heater is original to our house and has been extremely reliable since we have lived here, but lately it is showing signs of age and I wonder if there is anything I can do to extend its life.
It takes a lot longer for it to recover after one use, a shower or a load of laundry, than it used to. Also I have been cleaning particles of white crusty debris out of our various hot water strainers and it's clear the stuff is coming from the hot water heater.
Is there anything I can do short of replacing it, that will restore some of it's heating capacity in whole or in part? Am I better advised to wait until it fails completely, or should I be looking at replacing it now before it goes?
A new 80 gallon electric tank will fit in this one's place and runs about $600. I'm almost certain that a new electric water heater will be more efficient than the 25 year old model so there will probably be some modest savings on our electric bill. The main goal is to restore our hot water in the steady volume we used to get.
This is the last appliance in the house that we have not upgraded, repaired or replaced, and I think the time to kiss it goodbye is drawing near...
HWH ... heh heh heh ... one of my favorites
If you are already at 25 years, you have been on borrowed time for 15 years. Tank heaters have an expected 10-year lifetime.
You should replace it as soon as possible. Depending on where it is installed, a failure due to corrosion can cause a great deal of damage. Drain pans don't always work properly.
It's not cheap, but a tankless heater is the way to go. It will cost about twice as much (installed), but they have a 20-year lifetime. You'll have an infinite amount of hot water (subject to the maximum flow rate and temperature boost it will support), and you won't be paying to keep water hot when you aren't using it.
I put in a water softener and the little white particles you wrote about are all gone. I don’t think that your water heater can be saved. It served you faithfully for many years — give it a rest.
electric heating is very expensive, go gas if you can. You be surprised at the savings
I would strongly advise doing two things. First is to figure out what would happen right now if it started draining on to your floor. That is, will it ruin walls, carpets and rugs, furniture, etc? Do whatever you can to mitigate it.
Second, if it is possible to take a few days off without running water, after the old water heater is pulled, have someone create a concrete “tub”, that is then painted with waterproof paint, for the new water heater, so that when it goes, the water will drain outside harmlessly.
It sounds extreme, but it is very worth it, and it can save you thousands of dollars in water damage.
A water heater spill is a serious pain in the rear, so since yours sounds like it is just a short time from going, save yourself a lot of heartburn and swap it out before then.
There are a couple of things you might try (BTW, I’m NOT a plumber and I don’t play one on TV!). There are several things that could cause the white crusty deposits you are seeing. Depending on where you live, it could be hard water or lime deposits that have built up over time and are beginning to detach from the tank or the heating elements. You can try adding about 1 - 2 cups of bleach to the tank to see if it clears up the deposits problem.
Also, since the water isn’t as hot as it used to be, the heating elements are probably failing. You can try replacing them yourself if you feel confident doing so.
Word of caution - with the age of this appliance, I would consult a couple of different plumbers for their advice before investing any money. You may just be throwing your money down a rat hole!!
gas as in natural gas, not gas as in oil
There are more, just search...
Time to replace you water heater 7-8 years is about typical for replacement...you are lucky you haven’t have a tank rupture and flood your home. If you have the option I’d go with natural gas rather than an electric model. You might also look at a “tankless” water heater that heats water as needed rather than heating an entire tank.
There maybe a rebate depending on your state, most are $50-100, so it is worth checking.
Twenty-five years? Can we assume the kids are grown and gone?
If you have gas - a tankless system might save a lot of money... You’re not keeping water hot - heats when you need it - and instantly.
Here, electricity is cheaper than gas (although NG is relatively cheap right now), but yes the gas heats much quicker. Of course, not everyone has a gas supply line running right outside. We have a tankless on-demand water heater which we love (LPG).
One of these mornings you’ll find three inches of water on the floor...get a new one. Been there.
I would never go back to electric. Gas is so much better.
I've replaced our standard, 60 gallon natural-gas heater twice - the warranty date + 1 day will pretty much tell you when your new one will spring a leak. Don't know how long a tankless is supposed to last, but longevity might make the cost more reasonable.
I figure our tank heater costs about $100/year (plus the cost of gas): $600 up-front to last about 6 years. So, if a $1200 tankless lasts 12 years (and saves energy, too) that starts looking like a pretty good idea :-)
If you go the tank route and there is even a slight possibility that it could leak and flood anything important, I highly recommend installing the drip-pan underneath and attaching pipe to drain it outside the house.
Pretty much only in terms of insulation, right? A submerged element is a submerged element and the characteristics of H2O haven't changed greatly.
That's what they make propane for.
I’d dump it by a side road somewhere!
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