Been there with the rusty tank—mine started making weird noises and the water looked like weak tea. I did the “eco-friendly” thing and tried to flush it myself, but all I got was a mess and a reminder that I’m not a plumber. Ended up replacing it with a basic gas model. Honestly, the fancy tankless stuff sounds great until you factor in the price and the maintenance headaches, especially if your water’s hard enough to chew. Sometimes simple is just... simpler.
Ended up replacing it with a basic gas model. Honestly, the fancy tankless stuff sounds great until you factor in the price and the maintenance headaches, especially if your water’s hard enough t...
I get the appeal of sticking with a basic gas model, but I’ve seen too many “simple” heaters turn into big headaches down the road. Rusty tanks can leak, and that’s a liability nightmare—especially if you’ve got tenants. I know tankless gets a bad rap for price and maintenance, but honestly, with hard water, a softener and annual flush can save a lot of trouble. Sometimes paying more upfront is just safer in the long run, even if it feels like overkill at first.
I get where you’re coming from—rusty tanks are a pain, and leaks can get expensive fast. I wrestled with the same decision last year. Ended up going tankless after my old gas heater started leaking, and yeah, the upfront cost stung. But honestly, I haven’t looked back. With a softener and regular flushes, maintenance hasn’t been as bad as I feared. Sometimes it’s worth paying extra for peace of mind, especially if you’re thinking long-term.
I hear you on the upfront cost—tankless was tempting, but I just couldn’t swing it last year. My old heater started rusting out around the base, so I patched it up with a new anode rod and flushed it a couple times. Bought me maybe another year, tops. If money’s tight, sometimes squeezing a bit more life out of the old tank makes sense, but honestly, once you start seeing rust, it’s only a matter of time. If you can budget for replacement, it saves a lot of headaches down the road.
If money’s tight, sometimes squeezing a bit more life out of the old tank makes sense, but honestly, once you start seeing rust, it’s only a matter of time.
That’s pretty much my take too. Rust at the base usually means the tank itself is going—not just the rod. Patching can buy time, but I’ve seen leaks go from a slow drip to a full-on mess overnight. Did you check if your floor has any water damage yet? Sometimes that’s the hidden cost people miss.
