Straight answers on lifespan, leaks, sizing, straps, expansion tanks and tankless conversions, drawn from water heaters we replaced in Mukilteo and Everett this year
Most water heaters in Snohomish County fail the same few ways, and most of the questions we get come down to what to do next. These answers come from water heaters our crews replaced or diagnosed in Mukilteo and Everett over the past year.
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How long does a water heater last?
A tank water heater here usually lasts about ten to twelve years, and many give out with a leak rather than a warning. In September 2026 we replaced an 11-year-old electric tank in an Everett condo. Age alone is not proof, though: a six-year-old tank we tested in Everett was working fine.
That Everett homeowner was running out of hot water at bath time. Carlos and Logan tested the electrical side and found it working as it should. Filling a bathtub simply uses a lot of hot water at once, so they suggested a 75-gallon tank if it kept happening.
My water heater is leaking from the tank itself. Can it be repaired?
No. A leak from the body of the tank means the inside has corroded through, and the heater needs replacing. A leak at a fitting, a valve or a supply line often can be repaired. In Boulevard Bluffs in June 2026, Logan and Willie replaced a 50-gallon gas tank that was leaking from the body.
Until we arrive, close the cold shutoff above the heater and turn off the gas valve or the breaker.
Can I install a smaller water heater than the one I have?
Yes, with a thermostatic mixing valve. It lets the tank store water hotter and blends it down to a safe temperature at the taps, so a smaller tank delivers more usable hot water. Near the Speedway in Mukilteo in June 2026, Chase went from 50 to 40 gallons and set the tank to 140 and the valve to 120.
Does a new water heater need earthquake straps?
Yes. The plumbing code requires a water heater to be strapped so it cannot tip in an earthquake and pull its gas or water lines loose. We still find old tanks with none. In Mukilteo in August 2026, Chase replaced a failed 50-gallon gas heater that had no straps at all and strapped the new one before connecting it.
Where does the expansion tank go?
On the cold supply, between the shutoff and the heater, with its air charge set to match the house pressure. In central Mukilteo in April 2026, Chase found one on the hot side, beyond the shutoff, where it could not protect the tank. He rebuilt the cold inlet with new copper and a new shutoff.
Should I switch to tankless when my tank fails?
Consider it if the house already has a vent path and a big enough gas line. In Port Gardner in September 2026, a failed power-vent tank left three-inch PVC venting in place, so Willie and Logan priced a tank and a tankless conversion on one visit. The Navien went in the next day, in most of a day.
Does a condo water heater need a drain pan and an alarm?
When the heater sits above another unit, a pan plumbed to a drain and a leak alarm are inexpensive protection for your neighbor's ceiling. In the Everett condo in September 2026, the existing pan was sound and already drained, so Chase and Willie kept it and added a flood alarm.
How long does a water heater replacement take?
A like-for-like tank usually takes two to three hours on site, including leak testing and waiting for heat at a tap. A tankless conversion takes most of a day. Direct-vent models and special heights can take longer to source, which is why we measure the space and the vent opening before ordering.
Our Recommendation
Replace a tank that leaks from the body, and do not wait on one past ten years old if it sits above finished space. When it goes, ask for two prices: like for like and, where the house allows, tankless. Either way, insist on straps, a correctly placed expansion tank and a pan where a leak would do damage.
No hot water, or water where it should not be? Call 425-374-3909 and tell us what the heater is doing. Related: water heater service · water heater replacement in Mukilteo · water heater replacement in Everett · tankless water heaters · a tankless replacement in Boulevard Bluffs