Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Water Heater Maintenance Basics

Water Heater Maintenance Basics

By Brian Winters


Not a lot of homeowners are willing to maintain their water heater regularly. Some may find it too troublesome, time-consuming and a waste of money. On the contrary, expert technicians believe that performing regular water heater maintenance can extend its lifespan for a couple of years. Read on to learn why it is important to do so.

Always take safety into account before proceeding by shutting down its heating source. Close the gas supply or the circuit breaker to avoid unnecessary disasters. It helps switching the unit off before maintaining it to prevent scalding burns. Close the water supply to prevent water from entering the tank.

Proper care and maintenance prolong the life of your unit. Doing this spares you from the burden of replacing parts from time to time. If a water heater is maintained regularly, expect its internal components to be free of rust. Maximize the use of your water heater by inspecting it every 3 to 4 months.

Draining and flushing your water heater on a regular basis helps remove the sediments lying at the bottom of the tank. Hard water minerals should be flushed out to protect the internal lining from rusting. Water can easily leak once the sediments are left inside the tank, causing holes to appear. Flush the tank on a semi-annual basis to prevent the sediments from building up.

Flushing and draining of the water heater will be of no use if the hard water minerals continue to lie at the bottom of the tank. Stop the sediments from building up by checking the state of the anode rod. This sacrificial rod is responsible for absorbing all the charged water molecules inside. This rod should always be in good condition to reduce the sediments building up inside the tank. Once it measures less than of an inch, replace it immediately.

Expect poor water quality to run in your hot water taps if you don't flush out the sediments regularly. Your water may start smelling bad and discolor once the hard water minerals get too excessive for the tank to handle. If the filth can no longer be flushed out, you have no choice but to replace the water heater. Take action as soon as possible to protect your family from ingesting contaminated water that can lead to major health complications.

If you want to avoid water heater leaks, water heater maintenance is the best way to go. Inspecting your water heater every two to three months can help you detect early signs of leaks. When this happens, you are still able to stop water from leaking without having to spend too much on repairs. Taking immediate action is important to prevent your tank from further damage.

If you think you cannot manage to deal with your heater on your own, do not hesitate to call a specialist for professional help. Regular water heater maintenance can lead to great energy savings, giving you more time to save up for a modern unit.




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