Water Heater Answers: Costs, Lifespan, Leaks

Water heater answers

Straight answers to the questions homeowners ask most, written to help you decide before you spend.

What to do when it leaks

Step-by-step: shut off the heater, stop the water, protect the floor, find the source, and decide whether it is a repair or a replacement.

A simple way to decide whether to repair or replace a water heater, based on its age, the repair price and the warning signs to watch for.

Tank water heaters last 8 to 12 years, tankless 15 to 20. Learn how to read the age from the serial number and the signs a heater is near the end.

Tankless costs more up front but lasts longer and uses less gas. See installed prices, energy use and maintenance compared over ten years.

Hard water builds sediment and scale that shorten water heater life. See how hardness varies across the US and what to do about it.