Yearly maintenance is the best way to extend the life of your water heater. The Ben Franklin Society Maintenance Program membership includes a water heater tune-up annually.

During that tune-up, we’ll flush your water heater to clean out all the sediment that builds up in the bottom. That will help the heater work more efficiently throughout the year.

We’ll also check what’s called your anode rod, which basically sacrifices itself for the life of the heater. If you keep the anode rod in good shape, water will have something to attack other than the tank itself.

The average lifespan of a water heater is eight to twelve years. Like anything else in your plumbing system, it depends on the type of water flowing through it. If you have soft water that’s filtered and free of chemicals and minerals, it’s going to last longer.

Water heaters are steel tanks with a glass lining, but as they heat and cool repeatedly, the glass breaks up and water gets to the steel. Eventually they just rust out. Especially if your water heater’s inside your attic or a closet, it’s wise to replace it around the 8-10 year mark. If it fails, you could be dealing with a flooding issue.

When it comes time to replace your water heater, we offer several options. Whether you’re interested in energy efficiency or you need hot water for a family of ten, we can help you find a system that’s right for you. Call the professionals at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing at (813) 536-4515.