Water heaters are an essential component to any home, but in a vacation property they are something that can be easily forgotten about. The average lifespan of a hot water tank is 8-12 years. A sticker on your water heater will tell you how old it is so you can consider if it’s time for a replacement.
It is especially important to keep track of how old your hot water heater is because they can corrode and leak at the end of their life span. Water damage is one of the worst things that can happen in any home. It is both costly and timely to repair. Damage in a vacation can be particularly troublesome, especially if goes unnoticed for a period of time. For this reason, we offer our clients free flood sensors to minimize the potential of serious water damage, regardless of whether anyone is in the home or not. Flood sensors work by sending a push notification to a cellphone app when water is detected in an area that should be completely dry. From there a plumbing technician can be dispatched to resolve the problem as soon as possible.
If you are considering a replacement, you should know that with today’s advances in technology there are various options for replacing your water heater. Historically, the most common in North America have been electric water tanks, which store warm water until released for use in the kitchen, bathroom or elsewhere. Based on our research, one of the most trusted brands of hot water tanks is Bradford White. Today, there are more energy efficient electric hot water tanks and there are also tankless or on-demand water heaters; that come in both gas or electric options. These latter options don’t store water, rather they only heat the water at the time it is dispatched through a set of internal heated coils. These are generally around 30% more efficient than regular hot water tanks, although they often come with a greater initial investment. Depending on the occupancy level of your vacation home it may be worth the initial investment to upgrade to a tankless water system. Additionally, the fact that it is substantially more eco-friendly, may be enough of a reason to make it worthwhile!