TheLocalPlumber
You could wait until it leaks to replace it. This will probably happen when you are away for the weekend. If you wait long enough a flood is what you will get.
A water heater has an average life of about 10 years, yours is past due and should be replaced.
When you hire a licensed plumbing contractor to do this work, you can leave all the difficult tasks to him/ her.
We never like to decrease btu’s or size of existing water heaters when they are replaced. The 82 gallons seems oversized, but when you decrease it and it is to small for you or your guests, it will be to late and to cold.
Good Luck,
Bill
The Local Plumber
Tustin, California http://www.TheLocalPlumber.com
