Your water heater is one of those things nobody thinks about until it stops working, usually at the worst possible moment. Here's the quick rundown on what we look for and what's worth knowing as a homeowner.
Most homes in our area run a tank-style gas or electric water heater with a lifespan of roughly 8 to 12 years. Tankless units can last longer but need regular descaling, especially given how hard our local water runs.
The biggest red flags during an inspection: rust or moisture around the base of the tank, a corroded T&P relief valve, missing seismic strapping (required in California), and a unit installed without proper venting or clearance. Any one of these can turn into an expensive or unsafe situation.
On the maintenance side, flushing sediment out of the tank once a year and testing the pressure relief valve go a long way toward getting the full lifespan out of the unit. If yours is pushing 10-plus years, it's worth budgeting for a replacement before it fails on its own schedule.