"Seen a few heaters start leaking right after a flush. If it's already rusty, replacement might be smarter than risking it."
That's a solid point. I've noticed the same thing—sometimes disturbing sediment buildup can expose weak spots that were previously sealed by corrosion. If your heater's already showing significant rust, flushing might just accelerate the inevitable. Replacement upfront could save you from unexpected leaks and water damage down the road...and honestly, the peace of mind alone is worth considering.
Yeah, I've seen this happen more times than I'd like. Had a customer last year who insisted on flushing an older heater despite visible rust spots. Sure enough, it started leaking a couple days later. Not a huge leak, but enough to cause some headaches and extra cleanup. It's tricky because flushing is usually good maintenance, but with older units that already have corrosion, you're rolling the dice a bit. If the heater's already rusty, replacement probably makes more sense—especially if it's nearing the end of its expected lifespan anyway. Better to plan ahead than deal with emergency repairs and water damage later on...
"If the heater's already rusty, replacement probably makes more sense—especially if it's nearing the end of its expected lifespan anyway."
Yeah, learned that lesson the hard way myself. Had one customer push for repairs on a 12-year-old unit... two weeks later, guess who got a frantic call about a flooded basement? Curious though, anyone had luck extending life safely on borderline units?
"Curious though, anyone had luck extending life safely on borderline units?"
Honestly, I've tried squeezing extra life out of an old heater before—flushing it regularly, replacing the anode rod, the whole nine yards. It bought me maybe another year tops, but the anxiety every time I heard a weird noise from the basement wasn't worth it. Plus, my wife threatened divorce if she had to shower cold again... Anyone else find that preventive maintenance actually pays off long-term, or is replacement just inevitable?
Yeah, totally agree that maintenance can only take you so far. I've nursed a few water heaters through their twilight years myself—regular flushes, swapping out anode rods, even insulating blankets. Buys time, sure, but eventually rust wins... replacement's inevitable at some point.
