What do you do with an old hot water...

[recycled sixtie]

Originally Posted by drcoastline

Most hot water heaters have a life expectancy right on them. The heating of the water creates a lot of rust, scale, calcium that settles to the bottom of the tank that creates a ridge that makes them rust and the bottom lets go. Over the last 15-20 years where I New Jersey fiberglass decks have become very popular for being maintenance free. A development of that has been to take that same idea and line the entire utility room in fiberglass. Create a sill for the door a few inches high and put a drain in the middle of the room. Essentially turning the whole utility room into a small swimming pool or shower. The Hot water heater, HVAC, Washer and Dryer all go in. If they fail no damage to the house no mess it all drains right out the drain. Need to empty the hot water heater. no more connecting hoses and throwing them out the window. Open the petcock drain the hot water heater.

The second thing I would do is replace the tank heater with a tank-less. No tank to fail, plus the internals are all copper.

Is not the tank-less one quite expensive? I will probably go with a regular one as we will likely be selling the house within 5-10 years.

[drcoastline]

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

Is not the tank-less one quite expensive? I will probably go with a regular one as we will likely be selling the house within 5-10 years.

In comparison the up front cost is expensive. But considering the virtually last forever you need to buy once. Second you save on energy as they only heat water as needed vs. keeping water hot constantly. It may not pay you to get a tank-less if you will be getting rid of the house. Although it may be a selling point.

[smg911]

Do not buy an A O Smith water heater. They are junk!

I've been in my house for 21 years. The house was new when we bought it and it came with a Rheem hot water heater. It lasted 10 years 4 months. When it finally went bad, the plumber replaced it with an AO Smith which came with a 10 year warranty.

Here is how long my AOS water heaters lasted:

#1 - 4 yrs. 3 mo.
#2 - 3 yrs. 2 mo.
#3 - 2 yrs. 2 mo.
#4 - 1 year

#2 and #3 were replaced under warranty but when #4 started leaking (out the top) after one year, the 10 year warranty had expired.

Needless to say, for my 6th water heater in 21 years, I did not buy an A O Smith.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by smg911

Do not buy an A O Smith water heater. They are junk!

I've been in my house for 21 years. The house was new when we bought it and it came with a Rheem hot water heater. It lasted 10 years 4 months. When it finally went bad, the plumber replaced it with an AO Smith which came with a 10 year warranty.

Here is how long my AOS water heaters lasted:

#1 - 4 yrs. 3 mo.
#2 - 3 yrs. 2 mo.
#3 - 2 yrs. 2 mo.
#4 - 1 year

#2 and #3 were replaced under warranty but when #4 started leaking (out the top) after one year, the 10 year warranty had expired.

Needless to say, for my 6th water heater in 21 years, I did not buy an A O Smith.

you think its any better????

[look 171]

Originally Posted by stealthn

Timely...

I have been finishing the basement since Christmas, I was working on the bathroom and went to turn on the in floor heating breaker and opened the door to find water everywhere. The hot water tank was leaking from the top. I killed the water, the gas and drained the tank. I called a company and they were here within a hour, took the old one (12 years) and put in a new one in a couple of hours. I got my wife to run to a hardware store and grab a tank tray to put it under the tank. It has a hard tube that goes to the drain in case of a leak. I will add a leak sensor and tie into our home automation system.

This was the third water issue we had so we're done with them; toilet overflowed upstairs and leaked into a heater vent, the water line to the fridge burst and leaked on your kitchen hardwood, then the tank.

If it's over 10 years old you should replace your tank for safety sake...

There are many ways to build or use other try and true installation methods and material, but they do require more time to install them. Most people are not willing to pay for the up front cost of a couple hundred bucks, if that much. Most contractor or installers use what's common and easiest ways to complete the job.

[smg911]

Originally Posted by look 171

you think its any better????

Only time will tell. Having said that, I do believe my new Rheem will last longer then 12 months. For my previous AO Smith to only last 12 months can only mean one thing......."Junk"