Gotta agree on the rust thing—seen it sneak up too many times. Had a customer once who insisted his rusty heater was "just surface stuff," and asked me to patch it up quick. I was skeptical but did it anyway. Sure enough, couple months later he calls me at midnight, ankle-deep in water...lesson learned. If your tank's hitting double digits, might be worth biting the bullet before you're fishing your slippers out of a basement pond at 2 AM.
"If your tank's hitting double digits, might be worth biting the bullet before you're fishing your slippers out of a basement pond at 2 AM."
Fair point, but replacing isn't always the only option. If the rust really is just surface-level, sanding it down and applying a rust inhibitor can buy you some extra years—did it myself and got another three years out of mine. Just gotta inspect regularly...
Good points raised here, but have you considered what's causing the rust in the first place? Is it just age, or could there be a moisture issue in your basement that's speeding things up? Sometimes the tank itself isn't the main culprit—humidity, leaks nearby, or even condensation can accelerate corrosion. If you haven't already, might be worth checking out the environment around your heater.
Also, how confident are you that it's only surface rust? I've seen plenty of cases where folks sanded and painted, thinking they'd bought themselves some extra time, only to find out later the rust had already eaten deeper than they realized. Not saying that's your situation, but it's worth double-checking before you invest the effort.
That said, if you're handy enough to sand it down and apply inhibitor yourself, you're already ahead of the game. Regular inspections are key, like you mentioned. Keep an eye out for any bubbling paint or damp spots—those are usually early warning signs that things are getting worse underneath.
And hey, even if you do end up needing to replace it eventually, at least you've bought yourself some breathing room to shop around and find a good deal instead of scrambling at 2 AM with wet slippers, right? Been there, done that... not fun.
Good advice here, especially about checking the basement humidity. I had a similar issue a few years back—thought it was just surface rust, but turned out a small pipe leak nearby was causing constant moisture. Fixed the leak, added a dehumidifier, and the rust slowed way down. Definitely worth a quick look around before diving into sanding and painting... might save you some headaches later.
Had something similar happen last winter. Thought it was just humidity too, but turns out the tank itself had a tiny pinhole leak. Didn't notice until I saw a small puddle forming underneath. Ended up replacing the whole thing—wasn't thrilled about the cost, but honestly, it beat dealing with constant patch-ups. Definitely worth checking closely for leaks before you commit to sanding or repainting... might save you from doing the job twice.
