It is normal to ignore your water heater, especially if it's working just fine. Not having enough time to maintain it can cause it to break down unexpectedly. At times like this, you may have to take cold showers until you buy a replacement. Contact a specialist right away when this happens to avoid further inconvenience in your household.
No matter how attached you are to your water heater, you have to face the fact that it cannot last for a lifetime. However, you are left with an option to prolong its life through regular maintenance. Check your water heater twice a year to keep it running smoothly for a long time.
If you have an electric water heater, shut down your circuit breaker before working with your unit. For gas water heaters, simply turn off your gas supply valve. You can let everyone in your house know you are performing water heater maintenance. Doing this will keep you from getting hurt during the process.
Prevent water from entering your tank by turning off your water supply. To avoid staining your floor, you may need a bucket to catch the remaining filth coming out of the drain valve. We'll talk more about this later.
Your T&P valve is a safety feature installed in your unit to protect it from overheating or exploding. You can test yours by lifting the lever and allowing it to snap back on its own. Water should flow out once the lever is up and immediately stops once you release the valve. If you think your T&P valve is not working, have it replaced as soon as possible to avoid having excessive pressure inside your unit.
Do not forget to drain and flush your tank regularly.This step should not be overlooked at all. Regular water heater draining helps improve your water quality, efficiency and eventually protects your unit from rust and corrosion. If you let sediments and hard water minerals inside your tank, expect your internal components to rust and affect the quality of your water. Start draining by connecting a garden hose to the drain valve and placing its end to a floor drain or gutter. Open your drain valve and let the water exit the tank until empty. To avoid scalding, you can turn your heater off the night before you drain it. If this is too great of an inconvenience, you can shut it down for at least 30 minutes right before draining. Once empty, place a bucket under the drain valve and open your cold-water supply valve. Let the water wash away the remaining filth inside your tank. Wait until you see clear water coming out of your tank. You can now stop flushing and start refilling your tank. To remove air out of your unit, open a hot-water tap inside your house while refilling.
If you want to fight against rust and corrosion, it is recommended to check your anode rod at least every three years. Remember that this rod absorbs all the sediments to protect your tank from developing rust. Therefore, it is common for an anode rod to deteriorate overtime. Replace this rod as soon as you see metal wires around it.
Believe it or not, these easy steps can help extend the life of your water heater. It is recommended to maintain your heating system twice a year to avoid costly repairs in the long run. Remember that water heater maintenance costs cheaper than buying a replacement unit. If you are not comfortable in maintaining your unit alone, you can always call in a specialist for guaranteed results.
No matter how attached you are to your water heater, you have to face the fact that it cannot last for a lifetime. However, you are left with an option to prolong its life through regular maintenance. Check your water heater twice a year to keep it running smoothly for a long time.
If you have an electric water heater, shut down your circuit breaker before working with your unit. For gas water heaters, simply turn off your gas supply valve. You can let everyone in your house know you are performing water heater maintenance. Doing this will keep you from getting hurt during the process.
Prevent water from entering your tank by turning off your water supply. To avoid staining your floor, you may need a bucket to catch the remaining filth coming out of the drain valve. We'll talk more about this later.
Your T&P valve is a safety feature installed in your unit to protect it from overheating or exploding. You can test yours by lifting the lever and allowing it to snap back on its own. Water should flow out once the lever is up and immediately stops once you release the valve. If you think your T&P valve is not working, have it replaced as soon as possible to avoid having excessive pressure inside your unit.
Do not forget to drain and flush your tank regularly.This step should not be overlooked at all. Regular water heater draining helps improve your water quality, efficiency and eventually protects your unit from rust and corrosion. If you let sediments and hard water minerals inside your tank, expect your internal components to rust and affect the quality of your water. Start draining by connecting a garden hose to the drain valve and placing its end to a floor drain or gutter. Open your drain valve and let the water exit the tank until empty. To avoid scalding, you can turn your heater off the night before you drain it. If this is too great of an inconvenience, you can shut it down for at least 30 minutes right before draining. Once empty, place a bucket under the drain valve and open your cold-water supply valve. Let the water wash away the remaining filth inside your tank. Wait until you see clear water coming out of your tank. You can now stop flushing and start refilling your tank. To remove air out of your unit, open a hot-water tap inside your house while refilling.
If you want to fight against rust and corrosion, it is recommended to check your anode rod at least every three years. Remember that this rod absorbs all the sediments to protect your tank from developing rust. Therefore, it is common for an anode rod to deteriorate overtime. Replace this rod as soon as you see metal wires around it.
Believe it or not, these easy steps can help extend the life of your water heater. It is recommended to maintain your heating system twice a year to avoid costly repairs in the long run. Remember that water heater maintenance costs cheaper than buying a replacement unit. If you are not comfortable in maintaining your unit alone, you can always call in a specialist for guaranteed results.
About the Author:
Learn more tips about proper maintenance of water heater. Stop by Brian Winters's site where you can find out all about water heater repair tricks and how it can benefit you.
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