whitpet
New Member
I've got an AO Smith electric water heater about 8 1/2 years old; warranty was 6 years. It sits in a plastic drain pan, but I've never seen any water in the pan except a little bit that escapes when I flush the tank once a year. I have just begun to see a little rust on the very bottom curve of the tank, where it touches the drain pan, but there's no water present. (See photo below). Most of the rust discoloration in the photo is actually on the drain pan, and it is dry. I removed the element access cover, but a styrofoam border is sealed in place, so I could not check for the presence of any water between the outer cover and the holding tank.
I live about 6 miles from the coast, so rust is a common issue. Is this a sign of impending doom? I'm not real excited about replacing it, but I guess I'd rather do it a little too soon than wait too late. If I wait too long, what are the chances I'll get a catastrophic failure, rather than a slow leak? It's in a garage so I can deal with a small leak, but I travel a good bit with work so a major burst is a problem.
Thanks for any feedback,
Whit
I live about 6 miles from the coast, so rust is a common issue. Is this a sign of impending doom? I'm not real excited about replacing it, but I guess I'd rather do it a little too soon than wait too late. If I wait too long, what are the chances I'll get a catastrophic failure, rather than a slow leak? It's in a garage so I can deal with a small leak, but I travel a good bit with work so a major burst is a problem.
Thanks for any feedback,
Whit