Not sure I buy the “built to fail” bit, though I get why it feels that way. I’ve pulled 15-year-old Rheems out of basements that looked worse than the day they went in but still held water. Sometimes it’s just the luck of the draw... or maybe the water chemistry in your area’s rougher than most. I do agree—those alarms are worth every penny. Saved me from a real mess after a tenant’s “just a drip” turned out to be a slow flood under the stairs.
I’ve seen the same thing—some heaters just keep chugging along way past their “expected” lifespan, while others barely make it a decade. Water chemistry’s a big one, for sure. I had a place near the river where the heater’s anode rod was eaten through in under three years, and the tank started leaking right after. Ever since, I’ve been a stickler for checking those rods and using leak alarms. It’s not always about the brand... sometimes it’s just what’s in your pipes.
That’s a good point about the anode rods—people really underestimate how fast those can go depending on the water. I’ve seen tanks in hard water areas last half as long as ones with softer water, even if they’re the same model. Swapping out the anode every couple of years is cheap insurance, but hardly anyone does it. Leak alarms are smart too, especially if your heater’s in a spot where a leak could cause real damage. Sometimes it’s just luck of the draw with the minerals in your supply... you can’t always blame the manufacturer.
Yeah, hard water will eat those anode rods for breakfast. Folks act surprised when their “10-year” tank croaks at year five, but it’s usually the minerals doing the dirty work. I’ve seen tanks so caked with scale you could chip off souvenirs. Flushing the tank helps too, but let’s be real—most people don’t even know that’s a thing...
Yeah, hard water is basically the silent killer of water heaters. I used to think my tank was just “getting old” until I saw what came out during a flush—looked like someone dumped a bag of gravel in there. I’m with you, though, most people don’t even know you’re supposed to flush these things. It’s not exactly on the top of the weekend to-do list.
Swapping out the anode rod is another one of those “hidden” chores. I switched to an aluminum/zinc rod last time since I heard it holds up better with our mineral-heavy water. Not sure if it’s made a huge difference yet, but at least I feel like I’m doing something. Honestly, if you want to go eco-friendly and avoid all this, a tankless heater or heat pump is tempting... but then again, nothing’s maintenance-free.