How Long Should A Hot Water Tank Last

[Tilly2]

before it needs replacing?

[ummmm]

The one in the airing cupboard?

[Baldric]

The tank itself or the heater inside it?

[Tilly2]

The one in the airing cupboard, yes, Ummmm.

The tank itself, Baldric.

[ummmm]

My OH has been in this house for 20 years and it still has the same tank. I assume it wasn't new when he bought the house.

[Tilly2]

Our house is 25 years old.

We are having the tank replaced because the plumber could not remove the 'plug' at the top to put in an immersion heater. The 'plug' was welded to the top and he was unable to remove it. Hence, we are having a new tank, tomorrow.

I just wondered how long they usually lasted before needing replacing.

[Baldric]

We still own (as a Rental) the original house we bought when we moved to Kent in '87, no sign of that one needing renewing yet, so that's 29 years.

[SlackAlice]

My hot water tank has been in use for more than 30yrs and is still fine.

[ubasses]

We bought a house with the original tank and it was over 30 years old when we replaced it. Even then it only needed a new element, but the old was was stuck so firm Mr U damaged the cylinder trying to get it out.

[murraymints]

could not have cut another hole ??

[bhg481]

We've been in our house since new in 1982 and still the same hot-water cylinder and tank (the tank is the one in the loft, the cylinder is in the airing cupboard).
Tanks have been made of plastic for 40+ years so tend to last "for ever". Cylinders are usually made from copper and can corrode with time. We have a water softener, so maybe ours is lasting longer than average.

[Tilly2]

Good point, Minty. I didn't think of that.

[BRIGHT SPARK]

The copper used in modern tanks is very thin...you will be lucky to get 10 years.

[bhg481]

Following your latest post Tilly; cylinders are very thin so, if the immersion nut is at all stuck, there is a real chance of breaking the cylinder when trying to get it off.

[Tilly2]

I'm sorry to talk about the tank, when I mean the cylinder. We always call it the tank. The hot water tank.

[Tilly2]

The plumber said that he didn't want to cause irreparable damage to the cylinder and leave us in a mess.

He has ordered a new tank and and is coming to fit it tomorrow.

[bhg481]

Your new cylinder will almost certainly be insulated - I suspect you have a jacket on the current one. There is no reason why you shouldn't put the old jacket on the new cylinder over the insulation (we have a jacket over insulation). Any extra insulation can only keep your heating bills down.

[gingejbee]

The life of a copper cylinder depends on a number of factors....including the chemical composition of the water supply (naturally soft waters are more corrosive than hard waters). Also, the presence of any other metals in the plumbing system....mixed-metal systems can be more troublesome than those with just the copper of the cylinder.

[Old_Geezer]

If one would be lucky to get 10 years out of modern ones why are they not all returned as unfit for purpose ? I'd have to check but I think that the hot water tank in my late parents' house is still there; and it was there before I was.

[Old_Geezer]

That stated, I'm unsure it's copper. Probably isn't.

[Peter Pedant]

about twenty years