One of the questions we get often during our Phoenix Home Inspections is how much life do the major appliances have remaining. While there is no way of telling exactly when an appliance will fail, below is a little information on water heaters and their life expectancy. Due to the hard water in most areas of Phoenix, water heaters typically have a bit of a shorter lifespan.
Water heaters are one of the most used major appliances in the home. A conventional tank style water heater is under constant use, cycling on and off to keep the tank of water heated to the proper temperature. Another enemy of the water heater is the buildup of minerals in the tank, calcium and lime remain in the tank and collect at the bottom where they solidify and bind to the tank. This buildup reduces the water capacity of the water heater and causes the water heater to cycle on and off more.
With all of the conditions working against the water heater, it should come as no surprise that they also have a relatively short life expectancy. Due to the different qualities of water heater construction, it is impossible to determine exactly how long your water heater will last. Typically a water heater with a longer warranty will last longer than one with a shorter warranty due to better construction and materials used.
The average life expectancy for a water heater is approximately 10 to 12 years but with normal maintenance this can be greatly extended. A water heater should be flushed annually to prevent the buildup of minerals in the tank. For an electric water heater you should have it inspected every few years to ensure that both heating elements are operational.
During our Phoenix Home Inspections I have seen water heaters over 25 years old that were still operating normally and I have seen 1 year old water heaters that have failed.
To make your water heater last as long as possible, keep up on the maintenance and consider adding a water softener to reduce the minerals in the water.
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