Water Heater | Life Expectancy
One of the main issues that comes up during a RI real estate home inspection is the life expectancy of the water heater. In fact, it is one item that always makes the buyer uncomfortable...should I ask for it to be repaired or not? Well like Fred Hernden discusses in the following post, water heaters do age and may age well or not. One thing to know is that you need to watch them and be proactive.
Wonder how old your water heater is? Well he gives you a better way to find that age out. Great posts for all home buyers on water heater maintenance. Like all home appliances they do need maintenance. Water heater | life expectancy.
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Most water heaters have a life span of around 10 - 12 years. You can extend the life of them by flushing them out once or twice a year by connecting a garden hose at the connection at the bottom of the tank, turning the power off and draining it as clean water flows in the top. You may occasionally have to replace the heating elements if one burns out, the bottom one can burn out if sediment collects around it from not flushing it out. Sediments settle on the bottom and can cover the bottom heating element and the water will not be able to get to it and it will burn out because it gets too hot. And always check or replace the TPR valve if it is leaking or does not operate correctly when you check it. We're all checking our TPR valves... right?
I did an inspection on a house the other day, and the water heater was 30 years old! It still looked like new, and was working great. Obviously well maintained... and the owner was a little lucky I guess.
How did I know it was that old? Well on the ID label the date is hidden in the serial number. Usually the first four numbers will be the
month and year, or vise versa depending on the manufacturer. Some manufacturers use letters for the month, "A" being January and "L" being December.
In the picture you can see there were other issues with the water heater though. It was sitting directly on the concrete and was rusting around the edge. Didn't look like it was from the water heater though, the washer and dryer was right next to it, maybe the washer had overflowed at some point. The electric supply wires was not shielded, and pay no attention to the fact that the dryer duct sitting on the floor next to it discharged in the room and not to the outdoors... another subject for another day!
Further proof that regular maintenance can save you money, now and later. This water heater defied the odds!
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This blog © and its contents is original to Ginny Lacey Gorman
Ginny L. Gorman a purveyor of Fine Waterfront RI Real Estate
Specializing in waterfront, ocean front, vacation, coastal and luxury homes for sale in North Kingstown, South Kingstown, Narragansett, Jamestown, Charlestown, East Greenwich, Exeter, West Greenwich, Westerly RI and beyond ... I sell dreams! because there is no place like home...the RI Realtor in the Sparkly Red Shoes.
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