THANK YOU! I'm a widow & now that I have to depend on the kindness of strangers helping me with problems that my husband could fix, I worry more. You just put my fears regarding my water heater to rest. I will now subscribe to your channel for future help. 😊
This posting was very reassuring my concerns. (I still have some though) Our Water heater was installed 39 years ago in 1984. Hot Water has been consistently good & available. The anode rod has long since been sacrificed and I'm not aware of any maintenance in the last decade. I had discussed replacing it w/ my spouse but she's pretty adamant that if it’s not broke don’t fix it. I think 80's they made much better Water heaters than the junk available today with its planned obsolescence. Im afraid to touch it worrying that it will then there-after start misbehaving. I setup water alarm system and the unit is mounted on a drain pad. We will replace it someday. This posting took away the nagging "bottom dropping out" catastrophe fear .
I was very young in the early 70s when our water heater "blew out" in the basement. I recall opening the door to the basement one morning and a blast of steamy air hit me. It was like a steam room. We has a small house so I guess the hot water was enough to remain fairly hot despite there being a few inches of water on the floor throughout the basement. Fast forward about 20 years and in the first house I ever bought, my wife and I were only there a few months when the exact same thing happened. So I suppose I am doubly blessed to have been chosen twice for that honor. I knew nothing about home maintenance and repair at that time (obviously), but those experiences forced me to learn a lot and I do maintain and repair all the usual stuff in my old age. Not only for my own family, but friends as well. Videos like yours are greatly appreciated.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate every single one of your videos, whether they apply to my stuff at the time or not. It's still learning! I've been nervous about my water heater for a while, only because it is 24 years old. It looks "brand new". Even the stickers on it look new. It's a Bradford White, and one sticker says it's equipped with "Hydrojet Total Protection System". It's natural gas fired. I see no signs of rust, or any other physical changes, and it doesn't make any weird noises. Never flushed it, never replaced or cleaned the rod. I take comfort from today's video, relieved that I can tamp down my stress about it, and not pay a fortune to replace a water heater that is working just fine. Thank you for your videos, your expertise, very clear demonstrations, pictures, and those sound files you include sometimes (like the ac fan motor video). And your sense of humor. I hope you and your family are doing wonderfully in Hawaii. Best wishes to all of you. Looking forward to your next video, and appreciating your past videos.
That's awesome! If your water heater is still looking brand new then you must have one from the half-century series. 😉 I wouldn't be surprised if it gets to 40 years before giving you any trouble. It's amazing how some of the oldest water heaters I've seen are actually the ones that never had the anode rod replaced or have been drained or flushed. You're welcome! I am happy to know that my videos have been helpful for you! Thank you for the positive and pleasant comment! Hawaii has been treating us wonderfully and I trust your side of the world has been good to you too. May God abundantly bless you and yours!!
@@WordofAdviceTV the chemical composition in the water is the biggest factor in corrosion and shorter lives for some heaters than others in my view. Being born and lived in the UK for 40 years our boilers and water heater systems tended to corrode more or less depending on the area or region where water was fed from in areas of hard water or limescale (calcium carbonate) more servicing and annual maintenance are needed for water heaters and tankless boilers or water filled radiators. I moved to the USA 14 years ago. Just replaced an anode rod for an old neighbor of mine the entire 5ft of rod was gone and caked in limescale deposits. Replaced it with a new anode and given the entire system had not been touched serviced or drained other parts are starting to go including the PRV which leaked a little after the replacement would you know it and the metal head PVC to copper transition fitting started to leak. In my view it’s a bit of a lottery depending on your regions water hardness. If you going to service it do it when it’s first installed and annually thereafter. With n older water heater it’s a lottery whether doing work on it is going to cause more problems than worth the issue. Not surprising the old pros often tell people to leave it well alone.
I am so glad I bumped into your video so that I don't have to spend 14K dollars for my water heater and boiler for house heating. My system was installed about 18 years ago which is actually still working well. I was baffled as to how could a plumbing company charge over 7K for the replacement job as the equipment they would use will not cost more than 6 to 7K. You are so correct in saying that the "efficiency" gained through replacement will not be worth it. Thank you for the sound advise.
You're welcome! Yes, if the system is working well and there are no leaks, there is no need to replace it. I'm glad to hear this video came at a good time for you. 👍
As a new HVAC service tech, I really enjoy your videos. I have seen a few leaking water heaters , especially from flushing the tank after 6 years of not flushing it. it's better to just let them go with a annual flush at that point. Also changing the anode rod is a great way to get more life out of the equipment.
Glad to hear you are liking the videos! Yes, with old sleepers like that, it's best to leave them alone. 😅 When you come out to a 30 year old water heater and they ask you to drain/flush it and test the pressure relief valve... Oh boy. 🤦♂️
just sharing my experience as a home owner . buoght this house with a 10 yrs old gas water heater. after settling in , we drain the tank and the sediment water look closer to squid ink . WHEW , took us around 20 minutes of contnous flushing to be very confident that no more resideue is left . been doing that every year, until the water heater is FORCED by AllState insurance to have it replaced . a good working heater is UNNECESSARILY filling the garbage dump , not ecology minded at all , bad for the environment from insurance big wigs decisions. sad goodbye to a gas water heater, euthanize at 28 yrs old,, was hoping to have her till 30 yrs old. .. THIS replacement,, some friends say,, will NEVER last more than 15 yrs , even with annual purging/flushing. just the quality of materials is lower quality . as they say, to keep their business continue,, plan for their product obsolescense. .
Thanks so much for this excellent video delivered in a very professional way. I will sleep easier tonight and call my plumber in the morning about the small amount of water under my 22 year old Ruud water heater. Ten years ago I was out of town for several weeks in December. When I returned to my cool home it smelled very musty like a summer basement. The water was up to an inch or so deep in spots of the uneven floor. I turned the water to the tank off and In the morning called the plumber. He said the culprit was a defective valve near the top of the tank, which he replaced. So my home wasn't flooded, but there was quite a bit of water down there. Thanks again for your lesson.
Great video. We just bought a house with a 12 year old electric hot water heater on our well. I was planning on replacing it because i didnt know how long it would last. It works just fine
They are not just fantastic but Jay has the great capacity to explain even technical details which are critical to his viewers. This means he is not talking down to people his easy going friendly style pits many people at ease. I have many years of engineering and technical plumbing, HVAC/ R and especially electrical knowledge and I have said it before but it bears worth repeating he is As good as the great Craig Migliacio high praise indeed.👏🏾👌🏾
I found my Bradeford water heater was leaking three years ago; however, I had used it until last week and replaced it. The technician had checked the heater and told me that there are no big issues other than small leaking. For 20 years, I had no issue with it, just hope my new Rheem water heater last long without any problem.
Thanks for honesty and sharing your knowledge! Home owner need more professionals like you who do the job not to rip people especially women and elderly. Blessed your soul! Irina
Great content! We have been called to a flooded basement from a leaking heater 4 times I can remember off hand. I have been doing this more than 35 years though. We always tell our clients if you are sure it is actually the tank leaking , DO NOT WAIT to replace it. You did an outstanding job covering the most relevant information. Loved the video!
You are so correct. I moved into my townhome 1983 and the water heater was still there from when it was built I kept it for like 30 years and someone said I’m living on borrowed time so that’s why I replaced it. But it was a great water heater it was built to last
Thank you for sharing that! Another example of the older water heaters lasting a very long time. I wouldn't be surprised if that water heater would have been just fine even until now if you hadn't replaced it.
@@WordofAdviceTV I think you are absolutely correct. In fact the refrigerator and dishwasher that came with the place are still running. Thank you for all the helpful information you give
Thanks to your attitude (always truthfull) you have forged a strong brand. If you have a company covering the entire USA, you can rest assured you will have loyal and happy customers.
Awesome knowledgeable videos, I have drained my hot water tank, flushed it a little, took a good hour, but yet my tank while heating, gas; still is popping, drives me crazy, it's about 7 yrs old, and in a dry area. Crazy, no heating issues or pressure all is well except popping while heating. This is the 1st draining of this tank.
I am glad to come across a video that answered my problem. My Rheem hot water tank which I purchased in 2020 is currently leaking at the bottom, I have a plumber coming this Friday to look at it. Also it’s leaking I still need to leave it on because I need to use hot water. So happy you spoke on years of rust corrosion that would cause the bottom to fall apart and cause a flood, Now I can go to sleep. A yes you’re right about studying history I told my daughter that same thing and she didn’t listen to me😀
Again, thank you so much for your explanation and your experience you have in your field. Your video really helped me out again and lifted a big weight off my mind and my pocket book. Thanks again and keep the great videos coming.
Haha Eddy you are an expert in adding on to jokes. I love it! 😂 I appreciate the greetings and that you always stop by to check out the new videos. Aloha from the sunny state of Hawaii my friend!! May your weekend be a marvelous one!
👏👏🥲 for your intelligence, personality and real answers. This is one of the best videos ever. I would watch any video top by you. I can't wait to investigate your channel more. We are extremely lucky for you providing so much helpful information. Thank You!
9/1/2023 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I am taking notes in Replacing/installing a direct vent side loop Water tank-heater. Thank you for sharing your expertise Regarding when to replace a water heater/tank.
man you are awesome! you have helped me solve a bunch of ac and heat problems. i recomend your channel to everyone! my water heater is at least 14 years old (gas) and going strong!
Thank you! I'm glad to hear that the channel has been helpful for you and I appreciate you recommending it to everyone! May your water heater last you another 14 years easy!
Very good, honest and objective video! Sadly, almost all plumbing contractors use fear and deception, and say you must relace it in 8 to 12 years. Of course! They want to sell you a new water heater & installation! The 1st gas water heater in my house, a Rheem, lasted 25 years, with NO maintenence whatsoever. Then just a small leak from the tank. Even with high iron & calcium water. Going on 23 years on my 2nd one, an AO Smith. Started power flushing 15 to 20 gals out once a yr, about 5 yrs ago. Only complaint is the very poor spickets, drain valves used in water heaters. If you have a water heater 20+ yrs old, replace it only if you have to! Most made now are junk in comparison to the old.
Good content. I’ve never had a water heater leak, but I lived in a condo complex where the unit above me leaked and caused a lot of damage in my unit. It turns out that quite a few water heaters in other units also failed around the same time and the association recommended owners replace their’s. While it’s not common, depending where it is located, a leaking water heater can cause substantial damage that can be avoided, especially if the water heater is well over the recommended replacement age. Pay me now or pay me later comes to mind.
The old water heaters lasted a long time because they were glass lined and didn't corrode so much. The manufactures figured out that they could sell more heaters if they left out the lining and let them rust. State Water Heaters is the only company I know of that still has some models that are glass lined.
@@WordofAdviceTV or you decide to sell more of the other parts of a water heater and create a strong maintenance schedule. If the reputation grows actually more people will buy them, insurers will recommend them and contractors will fit them. It’s a more longer term business strategy but you create a reputation for being customer focused and excel in your engineering. You can then design more products to sell. If you get a reputation for poor quality water heaters how likely is it you are going to see strong sales? Not much so if state are still glass lining kudos to them.
This is incorrect information. Most water heaters are glass lined today. Lack of maintenance is the reason most fail today. Somewhere along the line people forgot they have to maintenance things if they want them to last.
They all last 7 to 10 years. My last one failed at the weld seam between the sides and the bottom.. The only one I know if that is glass lined is State Water heaters.
Great video I have a Rheem water heater, works great! But history is important, you have to look back at where you have been to know where you are going. 😊
Thank you, a nice video, I live in NSW Australia and i built my new home in October 1980 a DUX HWS was installed then, which then sprung a leak Oct 1998 after 18 yrs service, i then had a new RHEEM HWS installed which then started to leak in Febuary this year (2022) which did last 24 yrs, now i have a DUX replacement so lets see how long this one lasts. All these HWS are/were 250 litres (60 Gall) have a single bottom element,and water temp is set at 60 Deg, also our water supply here is Soft water which could also help for longer tank life 👍
Found your video after my expansion tank on top got a hole and sprayed water all over. 23 year old system... Luckily was home and caught it before too much water flooding happened.
Thumbs up ! Our municipal water pressure is over 80psi. I installed a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) years ago to keep pressure at 50psi which reduces strain on piping, tank and water- using appliances. Our washing machine and dishwasher have lasted well past the usual lifespans. I also installed an expansion tank on the cold water inlet to the HW heater. That absorbs the pressure back flow as water heats with no faucet open ( the PRV creates a closed system so pressure can't dissipate back to water service main). I believe , but cannot prove, that reduced pressure alleviates some of the expansion/contraction of the tank interior. Also, best to place HW heater on a pan which connects to a drain. That way if it does leak you don't send water everywhere.and you have time to react., Also you will know that it is not another source of water leakage. If you have a draft induced blower, be sure condensate drain port is connected to a drain as condensate getting in the blower will kill the motor. I never flush the tank but I do drain 5-10 gallons from tank every few months and particularly after the Town flushes the water mains ( twice a year here ).
very interesting comment about glass lined water heaters. We had a furnace (Trane) and water heater (40 gal, gas) installed in 2091. We're on well water with sediment filter and softener. Water heater working fine but I will be putting in a tankless heater this year. The heater that is still plugging away is a State Water Heater. Connection to longevity....possibly! Thanx for your content.
I have some rental properties and have replaced several water heaters after only a few years due to thermal couplers. I’ve stopped buying from the big box stores and haven’t had problems since.
Good video....Thank you. Here in Texas the hot water tanks are in the attic. Why they aren't in the garage, I have no idea. Stupidest thing in my mind. Ours are 16 years old and I have flushed them regularly but the thought of a major leak in the second story ceiling makes us crazy. Replacing the originals (2) that have been trouble free except for a 1 new pressure releif valve replacement. Makes me think we could wait, but the thought of an issue at this stage has us replacing them.
Just replaced my 10-year-old AO Smith tank here in Hutto yesterday. Stopped heating the water and was worried about having a leak in my attic. Rust was prevalent along the top, with rust trails going down the sides. They replaced the tank with another AO Smith, and added a TACO shutoff valve tied to a water sensor on the drip pan. The old tank was loaded with rust and sediment. If yours were 16 years old, you were right to consider replacement with this attic situation. A friend of mine had a 15 year old tank in upstate NY in a second floor condo. It let go and flooded his condo, ruining the parquet floors. It also flooded the first floor condo, doing another 60k in damage. Luckily, the estate of the owner had insurance and he was not held liable. And just the year before this, he was living in a house in Yonkers, NY where another unit let go and flooded the basement. This was less critical as we dried up the family room for the new owner, who was gutting the room for renovation anyway. But the fear of these back to back blowouts had me worried about my Texas situation.
Great info on your videos. Just FYI, The INSURANCE companies are NOW REQUIRING homeowners to REPLACE the water heater if it is 15 years old or old, REGARDLESS if there is no issue. Another RIP off for homeowners being subjected to being controlled by them. I was required to do so. Many of the companies I inquired with refused to even consider insuring my home unless I did so. Naturally, they are also sending inspectors to check out the home and require PROOF that it has been completed. Paperwork as well as pictures. Life is so exciting these days.
Add to that it MUST be serviced by their "approved" companies only or it will not be accepted. Of course, this is because they are getting kickbacks from these places to begin with. Outright fraud.
My gas's water heater is 30 years old, every 2 years I drain it and have replaced the analog rod once and it's still going strong. I did swap out the drain valve from the half-inch drain it came with to a three-quarter inch ball valve makes draining ridiculously easy
We replaced our water heater in 2015, 10 years after buying the house. We went with a Bradford White gas heater. I keep it flushed regularly, and just replaced the anode rod. Water in our area is a bit hard, so scale and sediment build up. On our sink faucets in change the aerator cartridges once they get clogged up, and our bathtub faucets I’ve changed out the cartridge valves. Every so often, I’ll open a bath faucet to full hot and let it run for a few minutes just to help make sure there’s no sediment in the water lines. Little bit of maintenance goes a long way
Thanks for this informative video and quelling our fears. I have a 40 year old Ruud electric water heater that is still working. I have never drained the unit or replaced the anode. I am assuming that if it ever starts to leak it will start off as a trickle at which time i wil start looking for a new water heater,but that hasnt happened yet.
Jay, I am a long time viewer and always enjoy your videos. A few years ago my neighbor's hot water heater failed and flooded their basement. On a positive note your video concerning three majo6
I’m going on 25 years on my heater. 3 people in the house and had had regular annual maintenance (done my me). I expect probably another 5 years (or more). Btw it’s an AO Smith tank.
Thank you Harry! Haha glad you liked the jokes! 😄 I know your every weekend is amazing anyway but may this one be extra awesome for you my friend!! By the way, I was impressed to see you promoting freon theft. 😂😂 Welcome back to RU-vid!!
Well I was one of the special people that had a small flood. Luckily my daughter was home and saw water at the bottom of the stairs. She called me at work and I told her how to turn off the water and the water heater and drain it. It didn’t gush out but it was leaking pretty fast. It did do damage to bottom of some walls and some carpet. There was a sump pump about 12 inches away but basement floor was made so the water ran to the finished part of basement! Good job cement man! Lol
Oh yikes! You are the first flood story! Sorry to hear about the damages and thank you much for sharing your experience with a leaking water heater. I should have mentioned in the video that one good tip is to make sure that everyone in the house knows where the main water shut off is.
Hi, another chosen one here. I used to live in a townhome built on a slab so the hot water tank was on the ground floor in a closet. I had just gotten home a little early from work and I sat down on the couch and right away heard bam! I rushed into the room where the tank was located and just saw the water gushing everywhere. The drain valve had completely come off like a champagne cork and the water was gushing out. Luckily, the main shut off was right next to the tank. Upon further inspection, I realized the drain valve popped off because the nylon threads on the valve had been screwed into metal threads causing a chemical reaction / mineral buildup on the nylon thread making them completely smooth like a cork! In that 30 seconds I did get a lot of water but can you imagine if I hadn't been home and it did that for a few more hours!
Comforting info ! Haven’t been able to flush for years due to the drain valve leaking when I open it. Kinda paranoid as ittl b a long job at some point doing the drainage. I have it in main floor not basement
Glad I could shine some light on this topic for you! And I totally understand! Drain valves tend to leak once disturbed. If you will feel up to the task later on, you could drain it and replace the drain valve. They are pretty easy to replace. 👍
Jay, great advice as always😁! I think it’s just an old wives tale to replace your water heater every ten years, told by plumbers to put the fear of God in you!
lol Jay, I always thought History was cool as it's a tool. Good one and another awesome video. How about dissecting a tankless water heater, gas, and electric? 😁
Lol, I usually don't badmouth history but couldn't resist this time as it was a pretty good dad joke. 😇😄 Thank you! And that's a great video idea! I will see if I can get my hands on some old water heaters that I can cut open. 👍👍
Yikes! Sorry to hear that. I can only agree, it's definitely a good idea to occasionally check the water heater and see if there is any water on the floor around it.
The following is the note from my plumber for my GE water heater 40 gallons (made in 2006). He didn’t even try to replace the heating element and thermostat to check if that fixes it, and has offered me a $5000 quote for water heater replacement. Should I try replacing the heating element and thermostat myself? “This water heater is 17 years old and full of limescale. The elements are burning up and tripping the main 30amp breaker. This water heater needs to be replaced with a few code upgrades as well to make it safe for the tenants.”
Yes. I would replace the heating element myself instead of buying a new water heater. I only suggest replacement if the inner tank is leaking. Since he wants to sell you a new unit, he would have stressed that its leaking if it was.
Bought a house in 2002. Replaced an old early 80's water heater just to be on the safe side. In 2018, mine literally exploded (or imploded depending on how you look at it) and water flooded my basement. At the time, it was an unfinished basement and didn't have much down there except some junk, which I ended up throwing away. Today, it's a fully finished basement, so hopefully that won't happen again. The plummer who replaced it said he's replaced hundreds of water heaters over his 20 year career and had never seen one blow up like mine. (It was electric, not gas.)
I guess I'm a chosen one. Mine made a big bang and started dumping water all over the floor. Not just a small leak, it was pouring out. Luckily I was home when it happened so I was able to shut the water off. It was probably 20 years old.
What would you advise? It's a 19-1/2-year- old water heater. I have two of them, but one went out. Plumber tested the thermocouple and noted the wattage was fine but some other wire in the valve was low. He replaced the thermocouple and it worked for three days and then went out again. It seems to be the gas valve (the controller in the front of the heater) that needs to be replaced. Plumber quoted me $550 to replace the valve versus a new water heater for $1600 to 2200. He says it's reparable, but the big worry is that the tank will start leaking soon due to the age. There's no rust on the exterior, but I know that's always a risk of a leak with old tanks. My hope is I can replace the valve and get another 5 years of life. My fear of buying a new water heaters is it will only last eight years as they don't make things like they used to. Your information is very helpful and I feel better after watching it. Thank you.
My State water heaters are 28 years old. :) I am finally going to replace them. We are getting the bad smell now but replacing the anode on 28 year old water heaters probably doesn't make sense.
Great information expertly communicated! You mentioned potential catastrophe from the bottom, but I’m wondering if I almost had a catastrophe from the top. A few days ago, some water started spraying out sideways where the cold water supply line attaches to the top of the water heater. It turns out that the galvanized threads at the top of the water heater were almost completely gone. Now I’m wondering if no one was in the house for a week or so could this have failed completely and then water would be going full force. Plumber said it was rotting from the inside to reach the threads. I also removed the anode and there was just about nothing left of it. The water heater is gas and nine years old.
Thank you and oh wow! That definitely would have water catastrophe potential. Worst case scenario, you would have water gushing out from the top of the heater at city water pressure. That would make quite the mess, glad to hear you were home for this so you didn't need to find out if this would have happened or not.
Love the video but it feels like I’ve been struck by lightning based on your confidence that hot water heatings almost never start gushing water. I’ve lived in 2 apartments with older water heaters, maybe 25 years old, which broke and started flooding. One was a college apartment and we just heard the water running from another room and checked on it with an inch of water on the floor. Not quite sure why it was leaking but I just shut off the water til maintenance showed up and replaced it. The other time in another apartment, heard gushing water from the water heater and found a large indent in the side of the thing maybe a foot across, and had to do the same thing, although I caught it earlier than the previous time so there was less water
I have a 9 year old water heater never performed any maintenance like flushing it etc, and I won't start either .gonna keep an eye on it for any small leaks
We were looking to do a new floor in house. Water heater is electric and installed in bedroom closet with no pan. Looking at tank found out it is original tank from when house was built. It is 52 years old and doing fine. Never a problem. Had upper element replaced 25 years ago as it went out. Does not have anode rod to change. Am going to put in a new one when we do new flooring in house. Must have been lucky to have no major issues with it.
Really? The guy upstairs from me didn't replace his and I'm now removing my drywall in ceilings and walls replaced because he didn't replace it in time (had it over 15 years). I had to pay a $1000 deductible and my own insurance premium went up $50 a month because of advice like this. 12 years limit.
Ive had them last 20 years, and Ive replaced them when one got a small leak, and one had a bulge. Its just if you maintain them will make them last. twice a year flush, and check that anode rod every year or two. One I had to replace after I sold the house, and it started leaking 2 weeks after closing. Which sucked for me, but not the new owners. But the ones that leaked, were also very old.
