DIYbanter - View Single Post - Our water heater is 14 years old

George

wrote:
On Nov 18, 11:21 am, Geek Dad wrote:
It's an A.O. Smith 40 gallon gas water heater.

Water heaters rarely, if ever, fail catastrophically. You will notice
a small drip-type leak long before it becomes a spurt or flood, unless
you are not home for weeks at a time.

Catastrophic failures aren't all that unusual. Ours failed and I caught
it by accident. I came in late from a trip and flushed the toilet. After
hearing the water running for a while I though the toilet was doing it.
After a little more investigation I found there was a helthy stream
coming from the water heater. I have a family member in a nearby town
and theirs failed last Sunday in the same fashion.

Mine was 30 years old when I replaced it this last summer. It didn't
leak, it simply didn't keep the water hot, and I finally got sick of
cold showers.