Expert maintenance for your water heater
Have you recently replaced your old water heater? No more gurgling sounds and the hot water comes out faster now. What you may not realize, to get a longer lifespan, water heater maintenance is necessary. Yes, a water heater needs maintenance to get the full life expectancy the manufacturer offers.
You can do this yourself, and we will provide you water heater maintenance tips on how to perform this maintenance. Or you can hire a water heater maintenance company, which could be the same company that installed your new water heater also provides water heater services.
How often should a water heater be serviced?
Today, it would be hard to imagine living without a water heater in our lives. We’ve become accustomed to this appliance in our home, our businesses, everywhere. We use hot water for bathing, cleaning, and cooking. There are industries that use hot water to create steam.
It isn’t a law when it comes to the frequency of water heater maintenance how often. Experts recommend it to have a regular water heater maintenance schedule for inspection and service of your water heater. The purpose of this is for you to get the longest lifespan possible.
Every two months, experts recommend checking the plumbing joints for corrosion as a part of your water heater maintenance schedule. If your water heater is gas-powered, make sure there are no flammable products around it.
Experts also recommend draining your water heater every 5 years to remove the sediment that builds up inside water heaters. You should replace the anode rod every 2 to 3 years, and they recommend that you should have this done by a professional as it entails many internal workings.
How do I shut the water off to my water heater?
Gas and water leaks are two things that scare people about working on a water heater. If you know how to turn off both the gas and the water, it isn’t so scary, so even if you hear an alarm going off from the water heater, don’t panic. Turn off the gas and water, then call the plumber. Now, let’s earn how to turn that gas and water off so you can proceed with your regular water heater maintenance schedule that will keep your new water heater going for a long time.
- Disconnect the Water Heater from the Power Source – if it is an electrical heater, turn off the power at the circuit breaker. If you have a gas water heater, turn the thermostat to the lowest point.
- Turning the Water Off – Only after you are 100% sure the electricity is off, find the handle on the water heater and if it is a circular handle, turn it to the right. This will open the cold-water flow, turning off the hot water to the kitchen and bathroom. If you aren’t sure where the water turns off at the water heater, turn off the main water supply to your house.
How do you drain a water heater for maintenance?
Once you have the electricity and water off going to the water heater, the tank is drained through a connection at the bottom of the tank with a water hose. After inserting the hose there and running it outside or into a tub and allow the water and sediment to drain out. This is one of the biggest things you can to with your regular water heater maintenance schedule that will extend the life of your water heater.
Can I flush my own water heater?
Definitely! Making it part of your water heater maintenance schedule, flushing your water heater will help extend its lifetime. The first thing you need to know is where the cold-water spigot is on the water heater tank. Hook up the water hose as described above and turn the cold water on, allowing it to run until the water coming out of the hose is clear.
How do you know when to replace a hot water heater?
Everyone in your household uses the water heater every day. When you consider the number of times, each person uses hot water, you can better understand the demands a water heater has to meet and why eventually, a replacement water heater is needed. It doesn’t have to be a surprise outage though.
A water heater will not last forever, we’ve discussed this. An average lifespan of a water heater is eight to ten years, some have lasted as long as 20 years. If your water heater is close to its 8th anniversary, you should start paying attention to these indications:
- Rust on the tank, in the water, or both
- Rusty inlet/valve
- Rusty pipes
- Gurgling and popping noises
- Leaks around the bottom
- Won’t heat water
By performing a regular schedule for water heater maintenance, these are the things that you will prevent from happening too soon and keep your water heater around a little longer.
Create a water heater maintenance checklist and follow this with your regular water heater maintenance routine:
- The Pressure Relief Valve: the pressure relief valve is needed to make sure it is working order, it is the safety mechanism that prevents it from exploding if there is a buildup of pressure inside the tank.
- The Anode Rod: The anode rod attracts corrosive minerals, so the rod corrodes instead of the tank. By replacing it every 5 to 6 years, the tank won’t corrode as quickly.
- Tank Flushing: Once a year flushing the tank will remove mineral sediment build-up that rusts the tank.
While this may all seem overwhelming, once you have a routine water heater maintenance in place, it will become second nature, like changing the HVAC filter. For your water heater maintenance in Chattanooga, TN, call 423-718-7342 today.
