A standard tank water heater lasts 8 to 12 years around here. Local water is moderately hard, so sediment builds in the bottom of the tank and shortens that.
Not every failure is a replacement. A pilot that will not stay lit, a bad thermocouple, or a failed heating element are repairs. A tank leaking from the body is not — that one is done, and waiting on it means a flooded basement.
Describe what you are seeing. Most problems get narrowed down over the phone before anyone drives anywhere.
You hear what failed, what it takes to fix, and what it costs — before the work starts, not after.
The repair gets done and you get told why it happened, so you know whether to expect it again.
★★★★★“Elliot came by after a previous plumbing company could not clear a clogged sewer line and recommended jetting it and then potentially replacing it. He was able to cut through some tree roots without any issue.”