Maintenance Tips for Water Heaters

We rely upon a water heater day after day. Since they’re normally installed in the garage or basement, we don’t think too much about it till and we don’t have any hot water or we discover water leaking on the floor. Many water heaters can last for a long period because they have been given proper maintenance to extend their life. By extending the life of your water heater, you save money simply because you do not have to purchase a new one. Regular maintenance of the water heater must be on every homeowners’ honey do list. This maintenance needs to be scheduled at the minimum, once a year, according to the quality of water in the area up to two or three times per year.

Flush the water heater to get rid of built up sediment, calcium deposits along with other harsh particles. Make sure you turn the electric or gas off to the water heater. Drain the water heater by hooking up a garden hose to the valve found at the bottom of the tank. Water coming straight out of the tank can be quite hot, be careful when draining a water heater around small children and pets.

(C) plumberdoc.com

(C) plumberdoc.com

Close the water supply valve on the water inlet line entering your water heater. Then you’re able to connect a garden hose to the drain valve found at the bottom of the heater. Open the drain and enable it to run until all of the water has emptied in the heater. After that close the drain. Open the water supply valve and refill the heater. It’s also wise to open a hot water faucet somewhere inside and stand there and watch it run for several minutes until the water flows out easily.

After the Water Heater appears like it’s got drained close the relief valve (if you opened it) turn on the cold water valve for 15 seconds while the bottom valve is still open. After 15 seconds close the cold water valve again and let heater drain. This will likely eliminate virtually any remaining sediment on the bottom of the tank.

Apart from frequently flushing your water heater, plumbing experts also advise adding a water treatment system to your residence to filter or condition the water therefore it is less corrosive to your plumbing system, specifically in areas that have hard water. To get more methods to care for and protect your home plumbing system, make contact with a licensed, professional plumbing contractor in your area to discuss choices and products to suit your needs.

The point is that maintaining a water heater, while necessary, may be tedious and sometimes unpleasant perform. However if you are a DIY person, it could soon become a badge of honor in your household. If you prefer obtaining a plumber, you’ll be able to at least rest assured that you have saved a little time and avoided a messy activity.