Tips for Maintaining Your Water Heater
Springtime brings thoughts of warmer days, blooming flowers, and flourishing foliage, but it’s an important time for homeowners to get things done around the house. While most homeowners think of spring cleaning like dusting, vacuuming, and putting away winter clothes, there’s an often-overlooked appliance that should not be left off the spring cleaning list—the water heater.
Yearly maintenance is essential for this appliance, and this article has all the tips homeowners need to know for taking care of their water heaters.
Does The Water Heater Need to be Flushed?
Any plumbing professional who knows what they’re talking about will recommend having the water heater flushed once or twice a year. But is this necessary? Can homeowners avoid flushing their water heater for a year or two? To answer these questions, it’s worth looking at what happens when the water heater isn’t flushed.
Sediment builds up in the water heater over time, so flushing is important. While this sediment isn’t harmful to drink or bathe in, it can cause problems with the plumbing system and the water heater. It can build up around the heating element inside the heater, making the healing process longer. The longer process means it takes more energy, which raises the home’s utility bills. The sediment can also reduce the overall capacity of the heater by piling up, which means hot water runs out faster than it should. And finally, sediment buildup can cause corrosion, which can eventually require the entire appliance to be replaced.
Other Important Water Heater Care Tips
While flushing the water heater is the most labor-intensive aspect of maintenance, some other things need to be done regularly. Testing the temperature and pressure relief valve, also known as the TPR valve, is one. This valve is designed to release water if the pressure or the temperature becomes too high in the water heater. It’s easy to test with a bucket and a turn of the valve. If water comes out when turning the valve, it works!
Another maintenance tip to keep in mind relates to the anode rod. This special rod in the tank is designed to attract certain corrosive minerals. When these minerals are attracted to the rod, they can’t corrode the tank. When the anode rod wears down, the minerals start attacking the tank—replacing it when necessary will add years to the tank's lifespan.
The Importance of Regular Maintenance
There are a few other maintenance tasks best performed by a professional plumber. Luckily, many plumbing companies offer affordable yearly water heater maintenance. When homeowners have too much on their plate to deal with the water heater, it’s good to call a professional to handle it.
Not only do plumbers flush the system, check the anode rod, and test the TPR valve, but they make sure the pressure and temperature are within the optimal range. They also check for leaks and perform a visual inspection to make sure everything looks good, which can prevent sneaky water heater issues, even when only done once a year!
About Force Plumbing and Heating LLC
Force Plumbing and Heating LLC is family-owned and operated, and offers Holmdel, NJ residents a 100% satisfaction guarantee on every job. They also offer a membership that includes annual maintenance inspections, priority service, and free emergency service once per year. Call them today for water heater services in Hazlet, NJ.
