29 years out of a hot water tank

JTK said:
It's crazy. I put the same Whirlpool brand water heater in my last home in West Falls around 2006. My brother helped me. IIRC, it was just over $200 at Lowes at the time.
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and 20 years ago a $500 tank was a Cadillac… but wow that was 20 years ago. That’s kinda hitting now that I think about that. Wow.

I was able to get a $100 rebate through National Fuel so I guess that’s cool.
 
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Mine is a Reliance natty gas installed in Nov.1996. My ac and furnace were installed at the same time. Only thing ac has needed was a new inside blower fan. Furnace has had a flame sensor and 1 ignitor. I wish I could replace them with the exact same ones when it's time.
 
My first gas water heater came from JCPenney It cost $99.00

You will be lucky to get 18 years out of the new unit. They don't make them like they used to.
 
redhat said:
The tank was here when we bought the house in 2019 and is no spring chicken, an Estate brand with a date code of 1996. She's well past her prime. It still made decent enough hot water, but I will say the water kinda stank.

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The old tank was a 40 gal and I upgraded to a 50gal Rheem Performance Platinum from Home Depot. 12 year warranty, 40k BTU... nice unit.
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Amazing coincidence! Two weeks ago I decided to check my water heater, suspecting it was the original from when the house was built. Sure enough, the label shows it was made in week 40 of 1996! So I went to Home Depot and took home their flyer on water heaters, and after studying it decided on the Rheem Performance Platinum 50 gal, 12 year warranty tank! Only difference is mine will be propane and yours is natural gas.

I plan on buying it later this month. My existing tank (American Proline) works fine with no leaks, but better to replace it before it floods my cellar than after.

T25_9613ds65.webp
 
I replaced my old tank with a Rheem 10 years ago, It's still going strong. I don't know the age of the old water heater but we were in the house 20 years before we had to replace it and the heater was here before us.
 
Tom NJ said:
Amazing coincidence! Two weeks ago I decided to check my water heater, suspecting it was the original from when the house was built. Sure enough, the label shows it was made in week 40 of 1996! So I went to Home Depot and took home their flyer on water heaters, and after studying it decided on the Rheem Performance Platinum 50 gal, 12 year warranty tank! Only difference is mine will be propane and yours is natural gas.

I plan on buying it later this month. My existing tank (American Proline) works fine with no leaks, but better to replace it before it floods my cellar than after.

View attachment 288001
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Smart move.
 
Have a 1984 Morflo Nautilus wet base tank here that is on a well with neutral PH. The minerals have formed a crust that gurgles when the burner is on. On borrowed time which will force decisions as codes have changed.
 
They definitely made things better a few decades ago. The washer and dryer in my apartment are from 1993 when this place was built, same with my PTAC unit (just like the ones you would find in a lot of hotel rooms)
IMG_0635.webp
 
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redhat said:
I know I never touched this old tank's anode. I am going to ensure this new tank is annually flushed and the anode serviced.
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I would also include a cob web removal program during your maintenance time...:D
 
When you said 29 years ago I was thinking of somewhere in the 70's, not 1996! You sure got your money worth from that unit (well whoever bought it in the first place).
 
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