May. 26, 2025
Water heaters are an appliance most homeowners don’t think about until something goes wrong; there’s no hot water, it starts making terrible noises, or in the worst of cases, it springs a major leak. Then the rush to repair or replace it follows and many customers spend hundreds of dollars on a solution they weren’t sure was the right one.
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At Ben Franklin Plumbing, we work hard to ensure these expensive emergencies don’t happen to our customers. We’ve put together the Top 4 Questions our customers ask most often when their water heater is already going bad, with the intention of helping you make the best decision for your home and budget should you find yourself in the same situation in the future.
Most water heaters last between 10 and 15 years. If yours is older or you aren’t sure when it was last replaced, it may be nearing the end of its life.
If you have galvanized piping, you may have rusty pipes. A good test to avoid replacing a functioning water heater is to drain a few five-gallon buckets of hot water out of the water heater. By the third bucket, if the water from your heater is still coming out rusty, then most likely the water heater (not the piping) is at fault.
Over time, sediment will build up on the bottom of the tank and eventually harden as it heats and reheats. This process cause your water tank to make banging or rumbling sounds and operate less efficiently. Eventually, this will make the metal tank brittle, leading to cracks and leaks.
It’s important to monitor when this is happening; the tank may leak when it’s hot and expanded, then stop once it cools down and contracts. Don’t be fooled into thinking the problem resolved itself. It means a bigger leak could be coming and it’s a warning sign to address it now. (As a precaution, check your temperature/pressure overflow pipe to be sure it is not the source of the leak. You don’t want to unnecessarily replace your water tank if that is not the source of failure and leaks. If the connections and fittings are dry, then it is time to replace your hot water heater.)
First, make sure the temperature is set between 120 to 140 degrees. If it is lower than 120 degrees, your water will feel warm but not hot. If it is set within the proper range and still only warm, it’s most likely one of two things; 1) your pilot light is out or the circuit breaker has tripped or 2) your hot water heater is failing and should be inspected for replacement by one of our licensed, insured, and warrantied Ben Franklin plumbing professionals.
This could mean the lining of your inner tank is breaking down due to age and metal grit or flakes are mixing with your water supply.
At the time, it may seem like paying for a repair is always less expensive than replacement. However, in relatively short order, you will have paid out the price of a new water heater to keep an aging one limping along, risking an eventual catastrophic failure.
With proper maintenance, and depending on the style of water tank you have, traditional or tankless, you may see a lifespan between 10 and 20 years.
A traditional tank-type water heater lasts an average of eight to 12 years. Inside the tank, an anode rod protects the interior lining by attracting all corrosive particles to itself through a process called electrolysis. When the rod has corroded to such an extent that it can no longer do its job, those particles settle at the bottom of the water tank, where they eventually destroy the lining. Once corrosion starts inside the tank, the water heater has entered into its final stage of life.
A tankless water heater can last up to 20 years, sometimes even longer. Also called “on-demand” water heaters, these appliances do not work continuously to maintain a supply of hot water—and, as a result, they last longer than their tank-style counterparts. Eventually, though, tankless water heaters (which do not use anode rods) will also suffer from corrosion and require replacement.
It goes without saying that regular maintenance will help you get maximum life and performance out of your water heater. Some normal “wear and tear” repairs are relatively simple and can be done yourself, such as replacing a pressure-relief valve or a heating element.
This may be your deciding factor right out of the gate. If your home is wired for an electric powered water heater, that’s the obvious and most inexpensive choice versus installing a natural gas line. If you do have a natural gas line available, then you can more easily choose between gas or electric. There are even conversion kits on the market that will allow you to run a natural gas powered water heater off of propane.
Gas water heaters tend to have higher initial costs than comparable electric water heaters, but can also cost less to operate over time. In many areas of the country, the cost of natural gas is lower than the cost of electricity. While a water heater’s price tag is important, it shouldn’t be your only deciding factor. Cost of operation, efficiency, and performance should also play a role in your decision.
A gas or electric water heater’s energy factor (EF) is a measurement that compares the amount of hot water the heater produces per day to the amount of fuel it consumes. The higher the EF number, the more efficient the water heater. While the efficiency of gas and electric models tends to be fairly similar, especially when you’re looking at models of the same manufacturer and size, certain types of electric-powered models—including heat pump and hybrid heat pump units--have the efficiency advantage.
You can find a water heater’s EF rating either on its packaging or in the literature that accompanies the appliance. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires every new conventional water heater to have a bright yellow and black Energy Guide label that states the appliance’s energy factor as well as the following information:
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Due to combustion, gas produces heat more quickly than an electric heating element. As a result, the FHR and GPH tend to be higher for gas water heaters than they are for comparable electric models with the same manufacturer and tank size.
Their slim, space-saving design makes tankless water heaters a great alternative to traditional models, which often require an entire closet or corner in the garage. Here are three ways a tankless water heater can add value to your home.
According to Energy.gov, tankless water heaters are more energy efficient than the alternative, but depending on how much hot water you use, the magnitude of that difference changes. For example, as Energy.gov points out, if you use 41 gallons or less of hot water each day, a tankless water heater can be 24 to 34 percent more efficient. On the other hand, if you use an especially large amount of hot water, tankless water heaters are up to 14% more efficient. Depending on the amount of hot water you need, the value of a tankless water heater may go up or down. It’s worth noting that even though the relative efficiency of a tankless water heater may diminish with a larger volume of hot water needs, the savings you earn will still be greater in real dollars.
A tankless water heater is often mounted on the wall, freeing up useful floor space and giving back about 10 to 15 square feet of storage to you and future prospective buyers.
Words like “sustainability” and “carbon footprint” hold increasing importance to the newer generations of home buyers. Energy efficiency and environmental responsibility play an important role in the decisions young adults make when it comes to purchasing homes, cars, and other large assets. Additionally, they are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Upgrading your home with energy efficient and resource conservative systems, like a tankless water heater, make it more attractive to this demographic.
Let our Ben Franklin plumbing experts inspect your water heater system for a fair and accurate assessment today. Additionally, replacing a hot water heater, in many counties and cities, legally requires the work to be done by a licensed, insured, and bonded professional who can arrange permitting and inspection. Our Ben Franklin plumbers are well versed on the code requirements in all of our service areas and we not only save you money, but spare you legal headaches related to improper work.
Rest assured, our Ben Franklin Plumbers are always standing ready to respond 24/7. We have the advanced tools and know-how to detect problems, make repairs or replace with quality new parts.
If you put “Best Plumbers Near Me” in your search engine, we’re at the top of that list, now let us be at the top of yours! Be it an emergency or routine plumbing service, we’ll respond quickly, quote fairly, and talk to you honestly. Our monthly service and product specials can also save you money!
It's a good idea to know the different types of water heaters available before you purchase one:
When selecting a replacement water heater for your home, consider the following:
Also be sure to examine ways to reduce your hot water use, such as washing clothes in cold water. You may also want to explore other options such as drain-water heat recovery to save money on your water heating bill.
When selecting a new water heater, it's important to consider what fuel type or energy source you will use, including its availability and cost. The fuel used by a water heating system will not only affect annual operation costs but also the water heater's size and energy efficiency.
Fuel type and its availability in your area may narrow your water heater choices. The following is a list of water heater options by fuel or energy source:
If you have more than one fuel type available in your area, it's a good idea to compare fuel costs, especially if you're building a new home. Even if you're replacing a water heater, you may find that you'll save more money in the long run if you use a different fuel or energy source.
However, if you are converting from one fuel type to another, there are other cost considerations, such as adding a breaker or running a gas line to the water heater and venting it outside. Contact your utility for current fuel costs or rates.
The type of water heater you choose will also affect your water heating costs. One type of water heater may use a fuel type more efficiently than another type of water heater. For example, an electric heat pump water heater typically is more energy efficient than an electric conventional storage water heater.
Also, an electric heat pump water heater might have lower energy costs than a gas-fired conventional storage water heater, even though local natural gas costs might be lower than the electricity rates.
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