Hot water tanks generally fail when corrosion attacks the exposed steel in the tanks. No tanks are perfectly glass lined. There are imperfections in the lining of the tank and when these imperfections begin to corrode and weaken is when your tank will fail. Of course this usually happens at the most inappropriate time - a holiday or when you're away on vacation. Tanks life expectancy is in the neighborhood of ten to twelve years. In May, 2015 the price of hot water tanks increased significantly because of Department of Energy mandates that included – among other things – additional tank insulation & incorporating electronic ignition. To accommodate the manufacturing of compliant products, Bradford White went through its largest plant expansion in company history. Hetter Heating & Cooling recommends & installs Bradford White (in select locations).