Replace water heaters?

[Melissa N.]

Hello all,

We are closing on a 12unit next month. The inspection showed there are 8 water heaters that are near double life expectancy (so they are 10 year water heaters but some are 18 years old). 

Would you replace them all before they become a problem?

What about installing a drain pan to a drain instead? I don't know much about this but seems logical to do in every unit anyway. My (possibly stupid) question is, if you do this then how will the tenant know there is a problem? No hot water? I guess I'm concerned I'll get a sky high water bill if there is an issue and no one tells us.

Thanks!

Melissa

[Kurt K.]

I just got done rehabbing 3 units which includes new carpet and vinyl throughout. The water heaters were in the closets and were 12-15 years old each. I decided not to wait for them to fail and replace them and put overflow pans at the bottom of each water heater. Its not a matter of "if" they will fail, its a matter of "when". Ever see a water heater totally fail when a tenant is at work? Its ugly.  With the investment of new flooring, I thought it was justified.