Repair or replace your water heater?
Is your water heater acting up? Here is how to tell if a fix will do, or if it is time for a new one.
Quick answer
Fix it if it is young. Replace it if the tank leaks.
A tank heater tends to last about 6 to 12 years[2]. A repair often costs $100 to $500[1]. A new tank starts near $600[1].
Water heaters rarely fail all at once. They drop hints first. Learn the hints and you can plan, not panic.
This guide walks you through the signs, how long heaters last, and how to weigh a fix against a new one.
Signs your water heater needs help
- Water on the floor. A drip by a pipe may be an easy fix. A wet tank bottom often is not.
- Rusty or brown hot water. Rust can mean the inside of the tank is wearing out.
- Popping or rumbling sounds. Grit can build up at the bottom of a tank.
- Hot water runs out fast. A part may be failing, or the tank may be too small now.
- It is old. Find the date on the sticker. Compare it with the life spans below.
How long each type lasts
| Type | Typical life | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tank (gas or electric) | 6 to 12 years | Home inspectors[2] |
| Tank (gas or electric) | 13 years | Government lab report[3] |
| Tank, with regular care | 6 to 15 years | HomeAdvisor[1] |
| On-demand (tankless) | 10 years | Home inspectors[2] |
| Tankless, with good care | 20 or more years | HomeAdvisor[1] |
The sources do not agree on one number. That is normal. Hard water, use and care all change how long a heater lasts.
Fix it or replace it?
Fix it when...
- The heater is young.
- The leak is at a pipe, valve or fitting, not the tank.
- One part failed, like a gas valve ($150 to $500).
Replace it when...
- The tank itself leaks.
- It is near or past its life span.
- You keep paying for repairs.
- Your home now needs more hot water.
A tank repair often costs $100 to $500[1]. A tankless repair can reach $1,300[1]. A new tank heater, put in, costs $600 to $2,500[1].
A simple break-even check
Here is one easy way to think about it. This is our own rule of thumb, not a rule from a source. If a repair costs more than half the price of the cheapest new tank, and your heater is old, lean toward new.
Half of the low price for a new tank ($600) is $300. A repair near the top of the range, $500, is close to that line.
Stay safe
- Smell gas? Leave the house. Then call your gas company from outside.
- Water on the floor near a plug or wire? Stay away. Turn off power at the breaker if you can do it safely.
- Do not cap or block the small pipe on the side of the tank. It is a safety valve.
- Thinking of a heat pump model? ENERGY STAR lists the room size and heat it needs[4].
Ready to price it? Try the water heater calculator or read the full water heater cost guide.
Example: a ten-year-old tank
Let's walk through one pretend home with a cold shower problem. The prices come from HomeAdvisor.
In this home, the gas tank is ten years old. That is inside the usual life of 6 to 12 years[2]. One day the burner will not light. The plumber says the gas valve is bad.
A new gas valve costs $150 to $500[1]. A new gas tank, put in, costs $700 to $2,700[1].
So what is the smart move? The tank is old, and the fix is not tiny. So it makes sense to price a new heater too. If the tank were only three years old, the valve fix would be the clear choice.
Heater checks you can do yourself
Before anyone comes over, you can learn a lot in five minutes. Only look and listen. Do not take parts off.
- Find the year on the sticker. Write it down.
- Look for water. Is it under the tank, or on a pipe above it?
- On a gas heater, look through the little window for the flame.
- On an electric heater, check if a breaker in the panel has tripped.
Tell the plumber what you found. It can make the visit shorter.
What to ask the plumber
- What exactly is broken, and can you show me?
- How old do you think this tank is?
- What is the price to fix it, and the price to replace it?
- If I fix it, what is likely to fail next?
Permits and rules
A repair often needs no permit. A new heater often does. HomeAdvisor lists water heater permits at $25 to $300[1]. Your local building office makes the rules, so ask them or ask your plumber.
Florida notes
Florida homes often have the heater in a garage or a closet. Look there first. Before you hire, look up the plumber's license on the state DBPR site[5].
Want to see Florida plumber pay next to other states? The cost guide has a map.
Plan ahead so you are not rushed
A heater that dies on a cold morning forces a fast choice. A little planning gives you time to compare.
- Write the heater's age on a piece of tape on the tank.
- When it gets within a few years of 6 to 12 years, start saving.
- Get two quotes now, while nothing is broken.
- Pick the type you want ahead of time, so you are not stuck with whatever is on the truck.
Expert sources we relied on
These are public building codes, laws, license boards, and trade and maker guides. We used them for the rules on this page. None of these groups has looked at or backed Home Repair Report. We just point to what they published.
- Government, law or building code Energy Savings and Breakeven Cost for Residential Heat Pump Water Heaters in the United States (NREL/TP-5500-58594) (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S. DOE), July 2013 (cites DOE 2010 data); checked ; source [3])
What it supports here: the typical life of a gas or electric tank water heater - Government, law or building code Heat Pump Water Heaters: what to look for when buying (ENERGY STAR (U.S. EPA and DOE), Web page, as checked; checked ; source [4])
What it supports here: what to check before you pick a heat pump water heater - Government, law or building code Construction Industry Licensing Board: license types (Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Web page, as checked; checked ; source [5])
What it supports here: how to look up a Florida plumbing contractor's license
Questions people ask
How long does a water heater last?
Home inspectors list about 6 to 12 years[2] for a tank heater and about 10 years[2] for an on-demand one. A lab report put a typical tank at 13 years[3].
Can a leaking tank be fixed?
A leak from a pipe or valve can often be fixed. A leak from the tank itself usually means a new heater. A tank repair often costs $100[1] to $500[1].
How we made this page
A computer helper (AI) found the public data. It also wrote the first draft.
Then we checked each number against its source. Each number links to that source.
The AI did not make up any number. We did not make up any person or quote.
We do not show experts or reviewers. We show the math, so you can check it.
Read how we check numbers, our rules for writing and how we fix mistakes. See a mistake? Tell us.
Sources & how we calculated this
How we calculated this
Life spans come from the InterNACHI life chart and an NREL report. Repair and replacement prices are HomeAdvisor's published ranges. The break-even check is our math: it compares a repair price with half the lowest price of a new tank heater. That rule of thumb is ours, not a source's, and we show it only as a way to think.
The full method is on our methodology page. See a mistake? Read our corrections policy.
Every figure on this page (16), with its source and the date we checked it
| Figure | Value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical life expectancy (InterNACHI): conventional water heater | 6 to 12 years | InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) | |
| Tank water heater repair, low | $100 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Tank water heater repair, high | $500 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Tank water heater, average cost to install, low | $600 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Typical life of a gas or electric tank water heater (NREL report, citing DOE 2010) | 13 years | National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S. DOE) | |
| Tank water heater life with regular care (HomeAdvisor) | 6 to 15 years | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Typical life expectancy (InterNACHI): instant (on-demand) water heater | 10 years | InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) | |
| Tankless water heater life with good care (HomeAdvisor) | 20 or more years | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Gas valve replacement, low | $150 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Gas valve replacement, high | $500 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Tankless water heater repair, high | $1,300 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Tank water heater, average cost to install, high | $2,500 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Gas water heater, average cost to install, low | $700 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Gas water heater, average cost to install, high | $2,700 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Water heater permit, low | $25 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) | |
| Water heater permit, high | $300 | HomeAdvisor (Angi) |
Sources
- HomeAdvisor (Angi). How Much Does a Water Heater Replacement Cost?. Sample/coverage: HomeAdvisor says it surveyed over 30,000 customers about their project costs (site-wide statement on the page). Prices are ranges for typical jobs, including the unit and labor unless the page says otherwise.
- InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors). InterNACHI's Standard Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Homes. Planning estimates under normal conditions, not warranties. InterNACHI notes hot climates sharply shorten asphalt shingle life.
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S. DOE). Energy Savings and Breakeven Cost for Residential Heat Pump Water Heaters in the United States (NREL/TP-5500-58594). Older report. We use it only for the typical life of a tank water heater, not for prices.
- ENERGY STAR (U.S. EPA and DOE). Heat Pump Water Heaters: what to look for when buying.
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Construction Industry Licensing Board: license types.
