"JB" wrote in message
oups.com...
My 40 gal gas water heater is about 13 yrs old. Water is hot and it
works fine. The only sign of age is exterior paint starting to flake
off with rust underneath. (Its kind of strange...the flake bits are
perfectly round...like tiny polka dots.)

What is the average life of a gas water heater? I don't want to
replace a perfectly good heater with lots of life left, but I don't
want to play Russian roulette and come home from work one day to a
swimming pool in my basement!

What are the signs that its time for it to go?

THanks!

--Jeff


Personal experiences only here based on home and multiple rental unit
ownership over a 35 year period. I have seen them last 30 years and I have
seen them die in 5 years. My overall average is about 15 years of service.
As others have said usage and water quality are a factor.

I have never had one fail in a dramatic fashion. All of my tank failures
have dripped, some for months, before I replaced them. more common is a
burner or control valve failure.

Your small round dots may be caused by condensation when the incoming water
is cold and there has been a high use.

Based on my experiences I would not replace the unit until it failed to
deliver the water I needed or showed some visible signs of failure. Side
note: I always turn my heater to pilot and shut off the water main when I
am on vacation.


Colbyt