How long does a water heater last?

A tank water heater (gas or electric) typically lasts 8 to 12 years. A tankless water heater typically lasts 15 to 20 years. That's the range most inspector and industry references agree on; the sources are listed below. Your unit's age is in its serial number: decode it here.

What shortens it

• Hard water. Minerals in the supply shorten a tank's life.
• Sediment on the tank floor, which makes the burner or element work harder and the tank run hotter. A yearly flush keeps it down.
• A used-up anode rod. Once the sacrificial rod is gone, the steel tank starts to rust.
• High water pressure in the house (Rheem suggests 40 to 60 psi), which strains the tank and its connections.
• Heavy hot-water use from a large household.
• Hard water. Scale builds up in the heat exchanger, and how often it needs descaling depends on how hard the water is.
• Skipping the yearly flush, descaling and inlet-filter cleaning that makers call for.
• A poor installation or location; Noritz warns that a unit in a laundry room can draw in lint.
• Heavy household demand, which adds wear.

Signs it's time to plan a replacement

• It is more than 10 years old.
• Water or rust around the base, the tank seams or the pipe connections on top. A leak from the tank body itself usually means replacement.
• Rusty, brown or bad-smelling hot water.
• Rumbling, popping or cracking sounds while it heats.
• Hot water runs out sooner than it used to.
• It is approaching 20 years old.
• Weaker flow or less hot water than before while faucets and showerheads are clean, an early sign of scale or a failing heat exchanger.
• Whistling or hissing from the unit, which points to scale inside.
• Error codes that keep coming back, or repeated shutdowns.
• Water leaking from the unit.

Find your water heater's age by brand

Rheem · GE · all brands