Your water heater is an essential appliance for your day-to-day activities. To ensure that it remains in peak operating efficiency and extend its lifespan as long as possible, there are necessary things you need to do. Enlisting the help of a licensed plumber will go a long way in maintaining the integrity of your home’s water heater.
Regular Flushing Service
Your water heater’s interior tank is susceptible to corrosion from minerals and sediments in the water. Over time, these sediments can build up at the bottom of your water heater’s tank. This is why flushing service is an absolute necessity. Flushing involves simply draining your water heater, along with the sediments built up at the tank’s bottom.
At the bare minimum, you should call a professional plumber to flush your water heater at least once a year. If you live in a region with very hard water, there will be more sediment in it. This means that you’ll need to have your water heater flushed more often to accommodate the excess buildup.
Routine Pressure Relief Valve Inspections
Located near the top of your hot water tank is a valve. Known formally as the pressure relief valve, this safety mechanism is in place to help reduce any excess pressure that builds up inside your tank. This pressure buildup can happen when the water inside gets too hot. When that excess pressure can be released, all is well. When it can’t, your tank will rupture. It’s a good rule of thumb to have your plumber physically inspect your water heater’s pressure relief valve. Any signs of corrosion or inability to work should be remedied to prevent any damage from occurring to your water heater.
Anode Rod Replacement Service
An anode rod is comprised of steel wires encased in a metal material. This metal can be aluminum, zinc, or magnesium. Each water heater will have at least one anode rod that sits inside the tank. The anode rod’s job is to be the main metal surface that the minerals inside your tank corrode. With an anode rod’s presence, these minerals will be less likely to corrode the inside of your tank.
Anode rods have an estimated lifespan of between three and five years. However, if you live in an area with a lot of hard water, then your anode rods will likely need to be replaced more often. It’s highly recommended that your have your anode rods assessed by your plumbing professional whenever they flush your water heater’s tank.
Always Insulate
One commonly overlooked step to adequately maintaining your water heater is ensuring that it’s wrapped in an adequate amount of insulation. Experts suggest that your water heater can lose up to 40 percent of its heat when it comes into direct contact with the air. This means that if you just use your water heater without any insulation, it’s going to have to work 40 percent harder to keep your water warmer. This translates to higher utility bills for you and a shorter lifespan for your water heater.
Soften Up Hard Water
If you live in a region where your home gets hard water, it’s important that you take necessary precautions to protect the longevity of your appliances, like your water heater. One of your best forms of protection is with a water softener. These units work to remove excess minerals from your water supply. You’ll want to have your water softener installed on your water supply line before it reaches your water heater. This way, a large majority of minerals can be removed prior to the water entering your water heater’s tank.
Turn Down Temperatures in the Summertime
Your water heater will have one or two thermostats that allow you to set your desired water temperature. These typically range anywhere between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. In the winter months, it makes sense to put your water heater at the higher end of the spectrum to warm you up. However, in the summertime, you can typically get away with turning the temperature down to 120 degrees. Your thermostat will use less energy at lower temperature settings, and less runtime means a longer lifespan for your unit.
Expert Water Heater Service
Midstate Plumbing & Air offers expert water heater service for the entire Bridgeport, WV community. Our knowledgeable plumbing experts can assist with all of your drain, sewer, gas line, water leak, piping, and other plumbing-related needs. Simply give our office a call today, and we’ll help you schedule an appointment with one of our helpful plumbing professionals.
