Quick takeaways
- Tank body leaking: replace, always.
- Tank under 8 years, anything else failing: repair.
- Tank 8-12 years, repair >$400: replace.
- Tank over 12 years: replace regardless.
The rule of thumb
A water heater is a wear item. Once you're past year 10, the next failure is rarely the last failure — and the day a leaking tank floods your basement is much more expensive than a planned replacement. We'd rather quote you a $2,400 replacement than a $400 part on a 12-year-old tank that fails six months later.
Related services
Need a Kanata plumber?
24/7 dispatch · flat-rate pricing · local crews