How to Extend the Life of a Water Heater

Extending the life of a water heater is a key aspect of home maintenance, crucial for ensuring both comfort and efficiency in our daily routines.

Water heaters, often unnoticed yet essential, function silently in the background, playing a vital role in our households.

Traditional tank-type models generally have a lifespan of 8 to 12 years, and proactive measures to prolong this period are not just about avoiding the inconvenience and cost of replacement; they’re about optimizing efficiency, performance, and reliability.

Consider This to Extend the Life of a Water Heater

If you own an older tank-type water heater—whether it’s a Rheem, AO Smith, Bradford White, or any other brand, gas or electric—you might have noticed it isn’t performing as well as it once did.

Is your heater taking longer to warm water or struggling to reach the set temperature? Has efficiency declined, leading to higher energy bills?

Perhaps you’ve heard unusual noises coming from the tank or noticed an increase in energy usage. These signs are clear indicators of sediment or mineral deposit buildup inside the tank or on its heating elements.

Common Water Heater Problems to Watch For

To extend the life of your water heater, it’s crucial to recognize common issues that can affect its performance and ensure reliable hot water delivery. Early detection allows you to address small problems before they escalate.

Here are a few signs to monitor:

• Reduced Hot Water Supply: Scaling can lower the heater’s capacity, leaving you with less hot water.
• Leaks: Check around the tank or pipes for water pooling.
• Unusual Noises: Popping or banging sounds often indicate sediment buildup.
• Temperature Fluctuations: If the water is too hot or too cold, it might signal a failing thermostat or heating element.

Did You Know Water Hardness Can Impact Your Water Heater’s Performance?

One of the leading causes of sediment buildup is hard water, which contains high levels of dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. Over time, these minerals settle in the tank, forming what’s commonly called “scale.”

So, what can you do if your water supply is moderately or severely hard?

Before diving into solutions, it’s helpful to understand how water becomes hard—and why it varies. For example, water is typically soft in Vancouver and New York, hard in Toronto and New Orleans, and extremely hard in Regina and Las Vegas.

Is Your Water Too Hard? Here’s How to Tell

Imagine rain falling, soaking the soil, gravel, and rocks. As it travels deeper into the earth, the water dissolves minerals, and elements like metal ions become part of it. You don’t need to know all the chemical details, but here’s the key: water hardness depends on at least two factors—soil quality and the water’s characteristics.

After all, water isn’t just drawn from natural underground reservoirs and springs. It also comes from lakes and rivers. When you consider all of this, it’s easy to see why water hardness can vary from place to place.

Water hardness typically refers to the presence of calcium and magnesium ions. You can often spot these ions as fine white deposits on faucets, tiles, and especially inside pots where water has been boiled. If these residues aren’t removed, they build up—and that’s exactly what happens inside your water heater.

How Hard Is Your Water?

To measure water hardness, we typically use grains per gallon (gpg), which measures how much calcium carbonate is dissolved in the water. Here’s a quick reference guide for understanding hardness levels:

• Soft water: 0-1 gpg
• Slightly hard water: 1.1-3.5 gpg
• Moderately hard water: 3.6-7 gpg
• Hard water: 7.1-10.5 gpg
• Very hard water: Over 10.5 gpg

For example, Vancouver’s tap water is soft (0.3 gpg), Toronto’s is hard (7.5 gpg), while Calgary and Regina have very hard water, with levels of 11.7 gpg and 29 gpg, respectively.

You can check your local water hardness online or ask your water supplier for details. There are also maps available that show the hardness of water across North America.

If you live in an area with hard or very hard water, be prepared to take some steps to protect your appliances and plumbing. Hard water can lead to scale buildup inside your water heater, reducing its efficiency and lifespan. Taking action now can save you time, money, and frustration in the long run.

Why Hard Water is Bad For a Heater?

Let’s go back to the heaters.

There are some differences between the damage caused by scaling on electric and gas units, but the common problem is poor heat transfer to the water and lower efficiency.

In electric water heaters, the scale forms on the heating elements first, then crushes and falls to the bottom. The efficiency of the heating element decreases, and it eventually overheats and burns out.

As the gas burner and flame in gas heaters are located at the bottom, so when water is heated, the sediment buildup acts as an insulator reducing the energy transfer. Thus, the tank becomes overheated, which may lead to failure, cracking, and eventually leaking. Deposits on the bottom of the tank in both types may be increased so much that holding capacity becomes reduced.

In a tankless models, the scale is forming slower and later because of continuous water flow and high velocity, but some parts are threatened yet.

For easier draining and flushing of tankless heaters, it is recommended to buy and install isolation valves and flush kits.

Some tankless models are equipped with features that enable or reduce the risk of the scale buildup, while the advanced electronics inform if such a problem occurs by displaying an error code. Due to the delicate elements and safety in general, this work should be performed by the licensed plumber.

Effective Methods to Extend the Life of a Water Heater

Install a Water Softener

Hard water is bad for heaters. The most powerful solution to eliminate hardness is to install a water softener.

Water softeners remove calcium, magnesium, and other particles from the water through an ion exchanging process. Many types of softeners are packed into the well-designed cabinet(s), equipped with additional features.

They remove minerals from the place where plumbing pipes enter your home so that all appliances are protected. An average softener costs a few hundred dollars, more or less expensive softeners are also available, but keep in mind that all require regular maintenance for the long-term operation.

Some heaters’ manufacturers offer unique softeners for their heaters, for example, Noritz, which proposes its Scale Shield – Anti-Scale Hard Water Treatment System.

Tip: The water softener system may be rented; check out this option, too.

Maintain Your Water Heater Regularly

Flushing is preventive maintenance that helps extend the life of your water heater by protecting it from sediment buildup and potential damage. If you drain and flush the tank regularly, the scale will not accumulate into a thick layer. The frequency of this method depends on water hardness and should be done at least once a year.

If the home water is very hard, you might have to flush the system more often – even three times a year, leading to the water, energy, and time waste.

Some technicians recommend using cider vinegar for cleaning, but be careful in any case– if the tank is old, the cleaning process can bring more bad than good, especially if it is done unprofessionally.

As the risk of scale buildup increases with a rise of the water temperature, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, adjust the thermostat properly and avoid temperature settings above 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hard water makes additional expenses for your household budget; it shortens the lifespan of water heaters, washing machines, dishwashers, coffeemakers, and all appliances that warm up the water. Hard water also reduces the life and functionality of fixtures and plumbing pipes.

The deposits remain hidden in the interior, inaccessible to day-to-day maintenance, so you need to think on time and take steps advised by experts.

Maintain Optimal Temperature

Maintaining optimal temperature settings is another key strategy to prolong a water heater’s life while balancing both efficiency and longevity. The temperature at which your unit operates significantly impacts its performance and lifespan.

Striking the right balance is crucial. Extremely high temperatures can accelerate wear and tear on the system, leading to premature breakdowns, while excessively low temperatures may not provide sufficient hot water for your needs.

To adjust the temperature effectively and achieve this balance, follow a step-by-step guide. This ensures you’re getting the most out of your water heating appliance while safeguarding its durability.

Proper adjustment not only enhances efficiency but also extends the life of the water heater. By making these thoughtful adjustments, you can avoid unnecessary strain on the system and the costs associated with premature replacements.

Insulate the Water Heater

Insulating the water heater tank is a practical and energy-efficient approach to prolonging your water heater’s service life. This process involves adding an insulating layer around the tank, serving two primary purposes.

Firstly, it helps maintain the temperature of the water inside the tank more consistently, reducing the need for the heater to cycle on and off frequently. This not only saves energy but also reduces wear and tear on the heating elements, thus prolonging the lifespan.

Secondly, insulation minimizes heat loss from the tank, ensuring that the hot water remains hot until it’s needed. This enhances both efficiency and convenience. By properly insulating the tank, you can significantly extend its life cycle while enjoying lower energy bills and consistent hot water availability.

In addition to insulating the tank, insulating the water pipes connected to the heater is equally important.

This step prevents heat loss as hot water travels from the tank to your faucets and appliances. Insulating the pipes conserves energy and ensures that you get hot water faster when you turn on the tap, reducing water wastage.

It’s a simple yet effective measure in extending the life of your water heater and improving its overall efficiency.

By addressing both the tank and the pipes, you create a comprehensive insulation system that maximizes benefits for your home.

Inspect Your Anode Rod and Replace It if Needed

Understanding the function of the anode rod is crucial for the longevity of your water heating system.

This rod, made of sacrificial material such as magnesium or aluminum, plays a pivotal role in preventing corrosion within the tank.

It attracts corrosive elements in the water, diverting them away from the tank’s interior lining.

As a result, the rod corrodes over time, effectively shielding the tank from corrosion. Regularly inspecting and maintaining the anode rod is essential to ensure the water heater’s longevity.

Recognizing when the anode rod needs replacement is equally important. Over time, the rod will deteriorate.

When it’s nearing the end of its lifespan, certain indicators become evident, such as visible corrosion on the rod, reduced hot water quality, or unusual noises from the tank.

Use the Timers or Thermostats

Effectively using timers and thermostats allows you to manage the operating times of your water heater, ensuring that it heats water only when needed. By programming your water heater to run during periods of high demand, such as mornings and evenings, and turning it off during times of lower usage, you can reduce energy consumption.

This approach not only lowers your utility bills but also lessens the overall wear and tear on the water heater, thereby contributing to its longevity.

Upgrade to an Energy-Efficient Model

Consider upgrading to energy-efficient models. As technology advances, newer models offer improved energy efficiency, which can lead to substantial savings over time.

These energy-efficient water heaters typically feature enhanced insulation, better heating elements, and advanced features such as digital controls and self-cleaning mechanisms.

When your current water heater nears the end of its lifespan or begins to show signs of inefficiency, it’s worthwhile to explore these newer models. Upgrading not only extends the lifespan of the water heater but also reduces energy consumption and lowers your environmental footprint, making it a wise long-term investment.

Conclusion

Taking proactive measures to extend the life of a water heater is a wise and responsible choice for homeowners.

Regular maintenance, optimizing temperature settings, addressing hard water issues, insulating the tank and pipes, and promptly addressing common problems like leaks are all crucial.

Additionally, using timers and thermostats, along with considering upgrades to energy-efficient models when appropriate, further enhances the efficiency and longevity of this essential appliance.

Ultimately, the cumulative effect of these efforts leads to cost savings, reduced environmental impact, and uninterrupted access to hot water, showcasing the value of proactive maintenance and care.