does a water softener damage a hot water heater?

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/awFot

The life of a gas water heater depends on the type of water and the guarantee period. If your water has lots of minerals it builds up on the interior and also rots the tank. If your water is purer the tank will last longer as will a tank used in conjunction with a water softener. The longer warranty comes with a thicker tank. 17 years is a good life for a water heater. Most water heaters are in a garage or service area. A leak begins slowly, seldom is it a gusher. However if you are out of town and it starts there could be damage if it is inside your house. Confirm the capacity of the proposed unit is the same or greater than the existing, 40 gallon, 50 gallon etc. Confirm the estimate includes hauling away the old one. Confirm the length of the mfg warranty on the new one. Never pay in advance of the work being completed. If you want to be proactive and can afford it the bid isn't out of line. For a two story house with 2 1/2 -3 bathrooms you should at least have a 50 gallon gas unit.

A water softener CAN damage a hot water heater, if not managed properly. I ve had it happen at my house - twice.

Here;s how: To keep your tank working longer, the industry is installing what is known as a "sacrificial anode" in your heater tank. The anode is a long magnesium rod that deteriorates over time, depending on the amount of calcium in your water. The rod "sacrifices" magnesium to prevent calcium buildup (a very good thing to keep your water heater operational).

But, this is where the problem comes in: When you have a water softener, the softened water will cause the sacrificial anode to deplete at a much faster rate. An anode that should last 7 or 8 years may only last 2 or 3 years with softened water. I have owned three water heaters at my house over the last 8 years. The first 2 failed when I noticed rusty water coming from the tap. So, to keep your water tank working properly with softened water, you need to do one of two things: Either replace the anode every other year (you will need to have about 4 feet of clearance over your tank to remove the rod), or reduce the amount of softening that you do (maybe go to 4 grains per gallon hardness instead of zero).

Actually, just the opposite. Softened water can help prolong the life of your hot water heater by almost double.

If you have hard water, that means there are large amounts of calcium and magnesium in your water which can clog your pipes and create damaging build-up inside your hot water heater. In some cases, your pipes can become so clogged with mineral build-up that water cannot pass through.

A water softener will remove these hard minerals and replace them with sodium -- which will not stick to your plumbing or to your appliances.

The amount of sodium is so minuscule, though, that it is not dangerous to ingest unless you are on a strict, no/low-sodium diet and it will not be damaging at all to your hot water heater.

A water softener will not damage a hot water heater. Soft water will extend the life of a hot water heater.

Hard water is worse on a hot water heater as the water is heated the hardness particles ( calcium, manginess ) expand and drop out of suspension and build up in the bottom of the heater tank. This build up will make the water heater work harder and use more energy and it will speed up the deterioration of the heater tank. Chlorine in the water does the same thing to the hot water heater. If you have hard water that also has chlorine then you will take a double hit.

Yes, in certain circumstances too soft of water can cause premature water heater (an other plumbing joint) failure. I like really soft water 0 to 2 grains hardness. This is causing my water heater to fail every 5 years. My city is telling me to stop using my water softener as the city water is already soft. Once I stopped my glasses from the dishwasher would not get clean, hair not as clean from showering and cloths feel different after washing.

I would like to know how a water softener can change the ph of water to start eating away my pipes and water heater. You even see green scale forming on the outside of my copper pipes a the joints.

Nowadays water heaters only last 6-10 years, so you are lucky to get the much life out of the unit. Typically when a water heater fails, it leaks. This can be in the form of water running down the side slowly or a spray out the side or top under high pressure. Either case will cause a lot of damage to your house. $995 is a reasonable price for all that work; actually kind of low considering fixing the leak in the roof.

Both Shadetreee and Ted are telling you the real deal. Bottom line: Water softening can eat water heaters. Counter by changing out the anode rod at least every two years. Intact, it takes the hit. If it's gone bad, then the tank is next.

EDIT: Well, this is a mess of opinion, with the facts mixed in here somewhere! I for one will look into this further, given the extent of experience being drawn on by the posters. Always prepared to learn something. Me and my (sixth?) water heater thank you.

Actually the water softener extends the life of the water heater. Without the softener hard water deposits build up on the heating elements, and on the bottom of the tank. This causes the water heater to malfunction much faster than if a softener is used.

I have a water softener in my home. I am now on my fourth water heater in 12 years. I just now am wondering why they are not lasting. I think I now have my answer

Water softener extends the life of the water heater in one way while it can bring about its demise in another way.

Water softener removes excess minerals from your water, which slows down the sediment build-up inside the tank. Mineral sediments inside the hot water tank is bad because builds a kind of wall between the heating element and the water and makes the heating element overheat itself without actually heating the water. Water heater gradually loses efficiency and eventually heats itself to death. Water sfotener slows down this process, so it is a good thing.

However, the removal of minerals from water also makes the water molecules free to dissolve other stuff and in this case, the other stuff is going to be water heater itself. The most common cause of eventual water heater failure is corrosion and mineral-free water is better at corroding stuff. It will first eat away the anode and if no precautions are taken the tank itself will rust and you will get stinking water until the water heater quits altogether.

Long story short: Water softener saves your water heater by slowing down mineral sediment buld-up. It destroys your water heater by speeding up the corrosion.