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Author:
sum (FL)
How long would a typical electric water heater last? 8? 10? 12 years?
I am in the process of purchasing a property with three units and the water heater in each unit were replaced back in 1981.
They are RUUD PACEMAKER Model RP20S-1, kind of a low boy 20 gallon model.
All three HWHs seem to work good, no leak, no rust, and has been there for 33 years!
The old models last longer? Or are they living on borrowed time? Would you replace it just because they are old?
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Author:
nicholas123 (FL)
I am just a DIYer, but I know the answer has something to do with the sacrificial anode. Don't wait until the anode is gone and the tank starts to rust. I bought a new anode for my water heater in hopes of extending its life. If you decide to remove it, you will probably need an impact wrench because they are usually in there good. Also, I think you said you are from South Florida also...that will impact whether you buy a magnesium or aluminum anode. Good luck.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
20 gallon heaters are often under a countertop so it would be almost impossible to replace the anode rod without removing the heater and once you do that it would make more sense to just replace it. The life of ANY water heater depends on many factors, such as; the quality of the water, the temperature setting of the heater, the amount of hot water used, etc. so there is NO "generic" age before they fail. More heaters fail in the first 6 years than last 35 years.
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Author:
sum (FL)
How would you decide if the HWH needs to be replaced?
It "looks" OK to me, I don't see any rust, but I can't lift it up and feel the bottom of it. Should I be proactive and replace them all?
The inspector I hired said the older heaters probably were better built back in the days then today's unit that breaks in less than 10 years...but he said he has never seen one lasting 30+ years.
None of them have a drip pan under it, nor were they raised off the floor. They are all in a closet of their respective unit.
Here are some pics of one of them.
Edited 2 times.
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Author:
nicholas123 (FL)
I didn't know I was suppose to drain the sediment out of my water heater on a regular basis (yearly?) and both my heating elements got fried. Had to replace both.
I imagine you have to think about the electronics too. Are they dependable?
And, how does a water heater normally fail? Does it spring a pin-hole leak or rupture? What can be damaged by this water.
At my house I am around so I can monitor and respond. In a rental, you aren't around to monitor, the tenants demand fixes now, and it's someone else's stuff that might get wet. Just my two cents.
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Author:
sum (FL)
I am not sure draining the tank yearly is a standard practice you have pros who argue for and against doing so.
I bet these haven't been drained in 33 years.
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Author:
KCRoto (MO)
If you don't have very hard water and no softener installed, and the tank temp isn't set very high, then it could last a very long time. A new heater can develop a coating inside the tank that protects it from further corrosion. Like HJ said, it is more likely to fail in the first 6 years. Tanks should have the sediment drained out regularly, but the cheap plastic valves that most tanks have will fail. If you have a brass drain, you can easily change it out to a boiler drain with a ball valve on it that won't fail. If the sediment builds up around the element, it will superheat and destroy the element. Draining the sediment will also drastically improve the efficiency of the heaters and restore their performance to almost new.
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Author:
nicholas123 (FL)
I know this doesn't help your immediate concern, but you may want to take a closer look at your discharge piping off the relief valve. I believe it needs to be the same size as the discharge port on the relief valve.
Also, I think you are suppose to test it by pulling the lever every so often too. But don't blame me if it doesn't reset totally closed.
My discharge pipe runs outside the house (I don't think it has to) and the very end of the pipe was plugged up with stucco! I had absolutely no pressure relief ability.
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Author:
mr leak (CA)
long over due plan on replacing
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Author:
WC (VA)
I have a Ruud Pacemaker electric water heater. I don't know the gallon size installed by the building contractor, but it is aprox 58 in high (outside jacket) sitting on a concrete garage floor. I'm not sure but I "may" have changed the sacrificial anode once. I have read that the removal of the anode can disturb the area where it connects to the heater (and any coating which may have formed) and actually cause deterioration. If the anode is not changed early and often in the heaters life it is probably best to leave it alone (in my water's chemistry situation). I have never replaced either of two heating elements. I've probably flushed it about three times (maybe). It has a flimsy plastic drain connection so I have kept hands off. I have changed one thermostat -- but in retrospect the main problem was probably with the aluminum house wiring connected to the heaters copper wire which deteriorated. That problem has been solved using special aluminum to copper connector blocks. All the house water pipes are copper and I have a large jumper wire connecting the cold inlet to the hot outlet on the heaters top side. IMO connecting the pipes outside the heater may help control electrical electrolysis within, at any rate it doesn't seem to have hurt.
IMO a water heaters life GREATLY depends on the water chemistry. My water from a very deep well has a extremely high PH. (Non Acid). You can check water PH with the cheapest pool water test kit.
Water Heater put in use in Sept 1972 -- As of 2014, that makes it 42 years old --- Knock on Wood.
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Author:
sum (FL)
duplicate post.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
sum (FL)
42 years wow.
I guess if they are working I have no real hurry to replace them.
My concern would be when these old heaters do fail how they would fail. If it is just a bad element, no more hot water, I can easily swab in a new one, then I will wait and get as much life out of them as possible.
However, if the tank itself become corroded from the inside and eventually will leak and causes damages to floors, walls, baseboards and personal belongings, then I am inclined to be proactive and take care of it sooner.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
There is absolutely no way to predict how they would fail. It could be an element, a small gradual leak, or a complete rupture. I have seen all of these at various times, but the one thing constant will all of them is that there was almost NEVER any warning.
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