Hot Water Heater Preventative Measure

[Les]

I live in my condo the 4 summer months a year, and it is vacant otherwise. Each year, I shut off the breaker to the hot water heater and shutoff the water. When I turned things back on recently I notice a small leak on the bottom of the hot water heater that the plumber said required replacing, which I did. I also have a water softener which I also shutoff when not there.

The previous hot water heater was only 8 years old when it failed. That seems relatively a short time. The plumber said that water softeners reduce the life of a hot water heater.

Am I doing something wrong? Should I be doing something else? I have never drained the waqter from the valve on the bottom of the hot water heater.

Your comments / suggestions would be appreciated.

[Joseph Meehan]

I don't and do agree with your plumber. While I don't agree that water softeners reduce the life of a water heater (why would you have a hot water heater to heat water that was hot?), I would tend to think that the water in areas that you need a softener for are likely to be areas where the water will also be hard on water heaters.

Ask around among your neighbors and I'll bet they all have short service life from their water heaters. I suggest that you can drain the new one regularly and make sure you replace the anode rod like once every year or two. If you have not drained water and the water heater is more than a year or two old, it is too late to gain much from it. I would also strongly suggest that you either get a water heater with a quality drain valve or replace the one most come with, they don't last.

[Bob M.]

One of the preventative measures you need to do is inspect the anode rod every 2-3 years and replace it if needed. It's there to prevent the rest of the tank from corroding & leaking. (it gets consumed before the steel tank does).

[buffalobill]

[Mark]

> I live in my condo the 4 summer months a year, and it is vacant otherwise.

keeping the temperature set as low as possible also helps a lot.

Mark

[trader4]

I think you mean to check it every year or two. If he replaced it every year or two, it would get expensive real fast. Also, based on the rate of deterioration, the inspection interval can be adjusted accordingly.

If you have not drained water and the water heater is more than a

[Joseph Meehan]

Correct, it should be checked every year or two, but considering his water heaters are only lasting a short time, he may find that he does need to replace it every couple of years.

[Rudy]

In our former neighborhood, all the homes were plumbed with STATE brand W/H. They were guaranteed for 7 years..All of then died within the first 5 years..what junk. Getting them replaced under warranty was a PITA. The heater was free but the local plumbing shop charged over $ 300 for labor and hauling the old carcass away. I dont think the builder even paid $ 300 for them new !

[hallerb]

buy a 12 year warranteed heater if it bugs you.

just divide the heaters cost by number of years in service.

generally you will be under 50 bucks a year, if looked at it this way its pretty cheap