a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody the captain ordered that the prisoner be thrown into the brig immediately Synonyms bastille, big house [slang], bridewell, jail, calaboose, can, clink [slang], cooler, coop, guardroom, hock, hold, hoosegow, jailhouse, joint [slang], jug, lockup, nick [British slang], pen, penitentiary, pokey ...
Clue #1: Age. The older the water heater, the more likely it is to break down. As a general rule, a tank type water heater will last, on average 8 to 12 years. With proper maintenance and a little luck, you may be able to nearly double the lifespan of your water heater. But sometimes even with the best care, a water heater will need to be replaced after only a few years.
While gas water heaters last for 10 years and electric ones last up to 15 years, it is best to examine them periodically and carry out regular maintenance to prolong their life and reduce any damage.