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DIY & Home Improvement

Alexander Allan

(4 posts)

13. DIY & Home Improvement

Reply to bucolic_frolic (Original post)

Wed Jul 9, 2025, 07:27 AM

Jul 9

That’s remarkable longevity, 50 years is virtually unheard of for a glass-lined electric water heater today. You’ve likely benefited from three key factors: minimal but targeted maintenance, high iron content limiting corrosion, and owning a rare high-quality unit from a strong production run. Skipping anode rod replacement would usually be fatal in modern heaters, which says a lot about the original build. Definitely a rare case worth appreciating — some of the old models were truly built to last.

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Water Heater longevity [View all] bucolic_frolic Mar 2025 OP

Wow. Might be a candidate for the Smithsonian someday Raven123 Mar 2025 #1

lol That's really rubbing it in bucolic_frolic Mar 2025 #2

Hey I think you have done a terrific job maintaining it Raven123 Mar 2025 #5

This Old House, 1984 /nt bucolic_frolic Mar 2025 #6

I have a gas water heater that is going on 30 years Kali Mar 2025 #3

My origianal one failed four years ago and I replaced it with a stainless steel one. No problens since. brush Mar 2025 #4

Wow, nice! There's no reason that a h2o shouldn't last a long time, unless you got some weird stuff in your water SWBTATTReg Mar 2025 #7

So many plumbers on youtube say 5-10 years for a water heater. bucolic_frolic Mar 2025 #8

this old house had a rare survivor. i think it was a 70 yr old copper heater. pansypoo53219 Mar 2025 #9

Wow, didn't know they were ever made in copper. bucolic_frolic Mar 2025 #10

it was copper lined. i think it was ask this old house last season. i peruse estate sales around america + i saw pansypoo53219 Mar 2025 #11

I have a gas heater I put in in 2009. I'll replace it by this summer. nt Hotler Mar 2025 #12

DIY & Home Improvement Alexander Allan Jul 9 #13

I guess since the company is defunct a long time ago bucolic_frolic Jul 9 #14