This is a question that we get a lot. To answer this question we first have to understand why water heaters fail in the first place. Sediment is the enemy of all water heaters, whether it be a 40+ gallon or a tank-less unit sediment build up is the number one cause of water heater failure. As sediment builds in the bottom of the water tank or heat exchanger the heating surface in contact with the flame is unable to transfer heat as effectively to the water. CONTINUE READING