Is my hot water heater about to croak?

Doublej · « **on:** 25 Nov 2012, 06:57 pm »

I have your run of the mill natural gas 40 gallon hot water heater tank. Recently I started noticing that the hot water is brown. Does this mean it's time for a new tank and if so should I be considering something different than a like replacement?

Devil Doc · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:00 pm »

Yup and you need to do something before you spring a leak and have 40 gal. of water on your basement floor.

Doc

Don_S · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:13 pm »

I don't think the leak would be 40 gallons. As the tank leaked, cold water would be added so the leak could be a lot more. My experience is the leaks are minor at first so the amount would be less than 40 gallons.

My other experience is tanks like to fail

when the owner is on vacation so the maximum amount of carnage can be wreaked.

Quote from: Devil Doc on 25 Nov 2012, 07:00 pm

Yup and you need to do something before you spring a leak and have 40 gal. of water on your basement floor.

Doc

JerryM · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:16 pm »

I'd try flushing the water heater first, if discolored water is the only problem.

mjosef · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:25 pm »

Quote from: JerryM on 25 Nov 2012, 07:16 pm

I'd try flushing the water heater first, if discolored water is the only problem.

Exactly...that is one reason there is a drain valve at the bottom of the unit.
However if the unit is more than 10-15 years old, a newer one(more efficient) would save you money in the long run.

Don_S · « **Reply #5 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:32 pm »

Doublej,

How old is the tank and what is the composition of your water pipes? Do you have well water (with iron) or city water?

If your pipes or water supply are the source of the iron then flushing would help. But if either of those items is the source then you should have had a continuing rust problem. Unless they are minor sources and rust finally built up critical mass in your tank. I doubt that but I wish you good luck.

Doublej · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:39 pm »

Heater is 8 years old, city water, never had a problem with rust in the past but for as long as I can remember the first shower of the morning is not as hot as the second shower. I am not sure if that's relevant here.

JerryM · « **Reply #7 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:45 pm »

It is most probable that the second shower is hotter because the first shower causes the water heater to ignite. A key indicator of a failing water heater is a lack of hot water; i.e. there is no hot water left after two minutes.

If you have plenty of hot water, it most likely just needs a flush.

Don_S · « **Reply #8 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:48 pm »

Shower temperature is not relevant. That is dependant upon minimum and maximum thermostat settings--and time and distance. Overnight the water cools off. The first shower uses some cooler water before the heater turns on and heats up again. Also the water lines warm up by the second shower so the water coming out of them is warmer. This is more noticeable on longer runs (e.g. upstairs).

Insufficient hot water is a different type of failure. That is a thermostat or heater failure. Not related to leaking.

Don_S · « **Reply #9 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:51 pm »

I forgot to mention that 8 years is not very old for a water heater.

JerryM · « **Reply #10 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 07:56 pm »

Quote from: Don_S on 25 Nov 2012, 07:48 pm

Insufficient hot water is a different type of failure. That is a thermostat or heater failure. Not related to leaking.

Insufficient hot water is also an indicator of a tank that is filled with calcium and lime. It's like a giant stone "sponge" inside the tank. Water can heat and flow through the medium, but in ever-decreasing quantity. The sheer weight of the build up can cause the bottom of the tank to fail, the first indication of which is leaking. It's easy to tell a water heater that has suffered this fate, as the damn thing weighs well over 200 pounds when it's removed.

low.pfile · « **Reply #11 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 08:40 pm »

what a coincidence... this morning i woke up at 3am (not my normal time ;0) to a soft running water sound. my HWheater is in a side-room of the garage but only about 15 ft from my bed. Yep, garage floor flooded. And last week I had brown water too. So I flushed out the tank 2x and it was fine for about 6 days. then the leak sprung lastnight. Unfortunately the shutoff valve for the cold water line in was stripped or broken therefore I couldn't shut off the cold feed. I had to shut of the main water in. so, no water today and probably most of tomorrow. Landlord arranged for replacement sometime on Monday. And my hot water was losing heat after one 10 min shower too, so I would be cautious of a potential full break down.

[BTW...no audio electronics damaged. some storage boxes are absorbing the 40 gals. AND my battery tender for my moto was in a puddle of water, but wasn't plugged in!...phew]

Phil A · « **Reply #12 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 08:59 pm »

The estimated life of them is usually 8-12 years (I've had home inspection paid for by realtors with the last two new houses and that's what they estimate), although they can last past 15 years. I have an expansion tank on top of mine (county requirement) and noticed almost 5 years ago brown spots forming on the outside of the expansion tank when the hot water heater was just over 10 years old. Due to the relative cost of just redoing the expansion tank vs. the whole thing, I opted to get everything done.

JLM · « **Reply #13 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 09:52 pm »

Gas or electric?

Life expectances of applicances vary widely. Need of a water softner (lime/iron build-up) will shorten the life of all water dependent applicances. More expensive/better linings can help extend the life of the heater. Some swear by annual flushing, some don't.

Stagnant water in the hot water lines (that cools off with time) is why the first shower is cooler. Why are you taking back to back showers (or is that too personal of a question for me to ask?).

Doublej · « **Reply #14 on:** 25 Nov 2012, 11:19 pm »

Gas

Two people getting ready for work.

Don_S · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 01:43 am »

Mine lasted over 20 years. I am not sure exactly because it was not new when I bought my home. I had it for 20 years. I think my parents water heater lasted that long as well. We live half a continent apart so it isn't the water.

Quote from: Phil A on 25 Nov 2012, 08:59 pm

The estimated life of them is usually 8-12 years (I've had home inspection paid for by realtors with the last two new houses and that's what they estimate), although they can last past 15 years. I have an expansion tank on top of mine (county requirement) and noticed almost 5 years ago brown spots forming on the outside of the expansion tank when the hot water heater was just over 10 years old. Due to the relative cost of just redoing the expansion tank vs. the whole thing, I opted to get everything done.

LadyDog · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 02:52 am »

Obviously contingent upon you water supply, if you do not flush them, sediment build-up can cause a fairly new h2o water heater to fail. You may get hot water, just the pressure will be extremely low.

brooklyn · « **Reply #17 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 05:14 am »

A water heater tank will last depending on the type of water you have (it varies from state to state) and if it's taken care of. Drain some water out of it once in a while and a water heater usually has something called an anode inside the tank, that's there so the water attacks the anode first instead of the tank. In some water heaters it an easy change on others it's at the inlet so the tank has to be disconnected to change.

Sorry about your water heater,
I've changed a few over the years.

paul canady · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 Nov 2012, 06:27 am »

Quote from: low.pfile on 25 Nov 2012, 08:40 pm

what a coincidence... this morning i woke up at 3am (not my normal time ;0) to a soft running water sound. my HWheater is in a side-room of the garage but only about 15 ft from my bed. Yep, garage floor flooded. And last week I had brown water too. So I flushed out the tank 2x and it was fine for about 6 days. then the leak sprung lastnight. Unfortunately the shutoff valve for the cold water line in was stripped or broken therefore I couldn't shut off the cold feed. I had to shut of the main water in. so, no water today and probably most of tomorrow. Landlord arranged for replacement sometime on Monday. And my hot water was losing heat after one 10 min shower too, so I would be cautious of a potential full break down.

[BTW...no audio electronics damaged. some storage boxes are absorbing the 40 gals. AND my battery tender for my moto was in a puddle of water, but wasn't plugged in!...phew]

Usually the Water Heater plans all of this when you are on vacation. Did you cancel your plans or something?

Doublej · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 Nov 2012, 01:50 am »

Now the hot water is clear again. When I explain my situation to a friend he said that my Anode Rod might be shot. So I googled it and find out that it's supposed to be replaced every 2-4 years.

Does anyone replace their hot water heater anode every 2-4 years? I didn't even know they existed until today.