Is there a plumber in the house? Water heater woes

Ron H. · Jan 5, 2012

Greetings, all:

Need some plumbing advice. Our water heater seems to be slowly dying--it no longer heats water worth a hoot. I'm not getting any rust or sediment when I drain it, so I suspect its thermostat or something is going south. Can individual parts be replaced, or do I need to replace the whole thing? It's a 40-gallon State Select, probably 15-ish years old, and runs on gas.

If I do have to replace the whole thing, what's the good brand/model to get? Our house has just one floor and one bathroom, and two adult residents--no hygiene-obsessed teenagers to contend with.

Thanks, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

29aholic · Jan 5, 2012

In the long run you are probably better off to replace it. The newer units are more efficient due to newer regulations so those savings on utilities make it worth while. Go to Lowes and research them. I dont really think that any one is better than the other difference being price. It's not a hard item to change out yourself...flexible lines are your friend here. Just remember to shut off gas and water before starting.

arjay · Jan 5, 2012

Agree with above.Check Lowes and Home Depot for the best prices and parts.The units with the longer warranties are priced higher.I've done several over the years and the hardest part is getting the old one out of the basement.A dolly and a strong friend definitely help.Good luck.

Retired LTC USAR · Jan 5, 2012

And if you purchase it at Lowes or Home Depot, be sure to get you 10% veterans discount!!!!!!!!!

medalguy · Jan 5, 2012

I see you're in Colorado, I'm in New Mexico. Lots and lots of rocks floating around in our water. When you get the new one installed, try to drain it every 6 months to keep sediment out of the tank. That will greatly contribute to early failure, although 15 years is pretty good.

You might also want to take a look at the new tankless water heaters by Rennai. They're more expensive to purchase but lots less expensive to heat and they last virtually forever, and never a leak to worry about. They have a built-in filter to keep sediment out of your system too.

mkk41 · Jan 5, 2012

Agree with all that was said above. I just replaced mine last year. Hotter water , better flow , and lower gas bill. Probably save the cost on my gas bill within a year.

I also put mine up on a 12in high concrete block platform in case of another basement flood.

jkc · Jan 5, 2012

My contractor neighbor recently replaced mine --- his plumbing subcontractor told us that the difference in prices of typical brands good-better-best ratings has nothing to do with quality, performance,or efficiency, but rather is the cost of an extended warranty, i.e., the "guts" of the devices are identical. In my case an awkward installation makes the cost of the installation several times the cost of the appliance, so the least expensive unit was recommended.

slumpy · Jan 5, 2012

Hard water deposits build up until they cover the heating element then it takes longer to get heat to water. Same with gas, hard water deposits build up then takes longer to heat. I have taken them out and flushed em out but I would personally replace it.

Tom Beavert · Jan 5, 2012

15 YO heater

If she's 15, replace it, 7 yo is common age for death.
Yes you can replace parts, but you would be wasteing money.
Good luck
tb

jj2am44 · Jan 5, 2012

Tom Beavert said:
If she's 15, replace it, 7 yo is common age for death.
Yes you can replace parts, but you would be wasteing money.
Good luck
tb

Tom is right. Replace it. Once the water heater is drained, it is not that heavy. One thing to remember is that although it is an easy job, some areas of the country require a licensed plumber to do the install. Me? I'd do it myself.

Indiana George · Jan 5, 2012

Hi Ron.

If you are so inclined, check with your local gas and electric providers. Many offer some pretty decent discounts and/or service plans.

In our area, electric water heaters became more cost effective as gas prices soared and our rural electric co/op offered some pretty good incentives to switch from gas.

thndrchiken · Jan 5, 2012

I had to replace mine this past spring, believe it or not the best prices I found were at Sears.

Pete99004 · Jan 5, 2012

If it's electric - and if you're mechanically inclined - you can turn off the power at the source, turn off the water supply to the heater, drain the tank completely, open the two inspection covers and remove the insulation that is under the cover, note and mark the power wires locations and then remove same, a large crescent wrench or a pipe wrench (or 1-1/4" socket if you own a 3/4" drive socket set) can then be used to remove the two heating units. Using a flash light, look through the heating element opening to check to see if the sacrificing zink annoid is still good - which means still there - or if it has deteriorated past it's useful life, if so you will need to remove and replace it also. (Some heaters don't allow replacement of the zinks so you are out of luck there - can still replace heat elements if desired, but they won't last as long as the original units) Go down to your local Ace or True Value hardware store and buy two new replacement elements based on the specs of the two used units you removed and took along with you, cost is about $35 each and get some Teflon tape, go home, read the instructions on the new elements, wrap some teflon tape on the threads and install and tighten per the manufacturers directions. Connect the wiring per the diagrams on the directions, replace the insulation and the inspection covers after filling the tank with water and checking for leaks. Once the unit is full of water with no leaks you can turn the power back on. Total cost of this is probably less than $100 but the time it takes is approx. 4 to 6 hours. Your call if this is something you can handle, or if you are better off to purchase a new unit - which is probably around $350 out the door. I have two water heaters in our old farm home - they are approximately 30 years old with no zink annoids and I have replaced elements in both units twice in the 20 years I have lived here. They function fine with the new elements and are no different then the elements in the new units - just less expensive. But you need to be mechanically inclinded or know someone who is.

Hope this helps.

Pete

JcMack · Jan 6, 2012

I just replaced mine last September. The old one was gas and 10 yrs. old and was getting pretty bad. Assuming that you're happy with the hot water you have had in the past, 40 gals should be fine for 2 people. I'm 64 and I hate plumbing, and the heater's in the basement. I had mine installed. The heater and relatively easy install was around $500 total.

clubleaf206 · Jan 6, 2012

I'm glad to see that someone mentioned sacrificial anodes, I was recently watching an episode of 'Ask This Old House' and their plumber went to a viewers house to help with his water heater. During that segment he mentioned that if someone wants to have their water heater last forever that they should replace the sacrificial anode every year to two years, this will only work with a brand new water heater, if you've had one for awhile and haven't done this it's pointless. The anodes originally came in one straight length but now they are segmented, they look like link sausage, to make it easier to replace the anode when the heater is located in a spot with not much space to work with, such as a closet.

truckemup97 · Jan 6, 2012

medalguy said:
You might also want to take a look at the new tankless water heaters by Rennai. They're more expensive to purchase but lots less expensive to heat and they last virtually forever, and never a leak to worry about. They have a built-in filter to keep sediment out of your system too.

Yep, you sound like a perfect candidate for a tankless. It costs more up front, but you're not heating water 24/7, so you'll save in the long run. It's best if your current heater is on or near an outside wall, and DO NOT neglect the periodic maintenance.

Fifteen years is a long, long time for a water heater. That's about the age of ours when my wife called me and asked why there was water dripping out of the closet in the garage.

Of course, I was on the road, so she had a new one installed. Nothing ever breaks or quits when I'm sitting at home doing nothing.

klondike · Jan 6, 2012

My electric water heater from the early '70s just this winter started to give only a short burst of hot water. I checked the elements and found that they were still good. A friend told me to next check the dip tube. Sure enough, it was no longer there. It now is working again.

Fkimble · Jan 6, 2012

Does a gas water heater have the anode rod? After 20 years I finally replace my downstairs water heater due to the burner causing a white thick powder residue deposit on the top of the unit. It would also blow out the pilot light in the furnace sitting right next to it. Gas provider tech said the burner was literally causing a small explosion every time the burner fired up and it was blowing back upstream in the gas supply line enough to blow out the furnace pilot. Must have been right cause I had to light it just before AC season set in. Now it stays lite.

crsides · Jan 6, 2012

Just put in tankless Rennai last year and we love it. $2700 installed.

Ron H. · Jan 6, 2012

Thanks, all--good info here.

Thanks again, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

Is there a plumber in the house? Water heater woes

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