How long does a water heater last?

[Lara Chinarro]

Hi BP!

I am in the process of buying my first property and we have a 12 year old water heater. The inspector recommends replacing it, but the contractor says it should go on for a long time.

My question is: how long does a water heater usually last? My limited knowledge tells me it should be around 10 years. However, I have seen that the IRS places it in the 27,5 years category, but this seems absurd to me... Any insights?

Thanks so much!

Lara