Shockingly, the rated  lifespan of a typical water heater is only about 8-12 years.

Typical water heater

Why?  The metal corrodes with the help of hot water and minerals in the water.   A corroded tank can fail suddenly, with catastrophic effects.   Keep your home safer, with a reliable supply of hot water, and help the environment by preventing your tank from being discarded in the landfill prematurely.  How?  Replace the anode rod!

A  metal rod called an “anode” is suspended in the tank to “sacrifice” itself to the galvanic action of corrosion  to protect the rest of the tank.   As the rod wears out, the tank becomes more vulnerable.  Replace the anode rod about every 4 years.

With this simple procedure, by pulling the old one out to insert a new one, as shown in this VIDEO, you can make your water heater  last much longer.

An even simpler maintenance check you can do is to drain a bit of water out of the heater from the valve at the bottom, into a small bucket, until the water runs clear.    This will purge some sediment from the bottom of the tank.

Water heaters require maintenance for safety and comfort.   Don’t forget about this essential appliance in the basement.   Read your owner’s manual and make sure you know a qualified plumber to help maintain your heater.

If you want to know how old your heater is, you can find out from the serial number.    Google the manufacturer’s name, and the phrase “age of water heater” to find out how to decipher the code.

Checking the water heater for age, leaks and other problems is one of the essential steps in my home inspections.

Please forward this to someone else you know who has a water heater.