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.
When water begins to leak from the bottom of a water heater, it is time to replace it. Leaking is a sign of corroding and wear within the tank. Most hot water heaters last for at least 10 years, and some will stay in good shape for up to 20 years. Replace a water heat as soon as leaking is noticed to avoid flooding and additional clean up.