"I patched mine once, bought me another year or so before replacement became inevitable."
Yeah, that's pretty much been my experience too. I tried the whole patch-and-pray method last year—worked okay for a bit, but eventually had to bite the bullet and replace it. Honestly, the peace of mind from a new heater was worth it, even though my wallet disagreed at first. Sometimes it's better to just rip off the band-aid rather than deal with constant worry about leaks and rust stains...
Haha, "patch-and-pray"—that's a new one, but pretty accurate. Been there myself, and honestly, there's only so much duct tape and optimism can do. Eventually, you just gotta accept that the heater's lived its best life and move on. Hurts the wallet for sure, but man, hot showers without anxiety are priceless...
Yeah, patching can buy you some time, but honestly, once rust sets in, you're on borrowed time. Rust usually means corrosion inside the tank, and that's a safety issue—think leaks or even flooding down the line. I'd recommend checking the age of your heater first (usually on the label). If it's pushing 10-12 years or more, replacement is probably your safest bet. Hurts upfront, but peace of mind beats water damage cleanup any day...
"Rust usually means corrosion inside the tank, and that's a safety issue—think leaks or even flooding down the line."
Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way a few years back. Had one bust open overnight—basement turned into a mini swimming pool. Ever thought about switching to tankless heaters instead? Curious if anyone here's made the jump...
Tankless heaters sound great on paper, but have you looked into the upfront costs and installation hassle? Had a buddy who switched last year—loves the endless hot water, but his wallet wasn't thrilled at first. Plus, depending on your home's setup, you might need electrical upgrades or gas line adjustments. Might be worth crunching the numbers before diving in headfirst...
