Without proper maintenance, you will soon be without hot water. Even the best quality heaters will fail if they are not rightly maintained. Considering how crucial it is, every homeowner must know about the procedure so that they can have the hot water available whenever they need it.
A water heater has become an essential part since they are the best to provide hot water in an instant. For people living in cold areas, hot water is nothing less than a blessing. But, just like any other machinery or equipment, the water heater also needs maintenance in order to function at its best.
If you aren’t maintaining it properly, the water heater can create major problems, not only for the plumbing system but for the entire building in which it has been installed.
Water heaters not heating making noise, and leaking are some of the problems that may arise if you fail to maintain the heater properly. These problems may look minor in the beginning, but if not taken care of, they can result in complete disaster.
As soon as you detect the problem in any heater parts, you must promptly address the issue. Do the repair work or replace if needed; the issues must not be neglected.
Considering the cost, it is better to keep a focus on water heater maintenance so that issues can be avoided and the heater functions properly for a long time. After all, with a bit of care, you can extend the lifespan of a water heater without compromising its efficiency.
So, if you don’t want to lose your water heater and, most importantly, don’t want to shower in cold water, let’s find out what it involves in maintaining a water heater.
How to maintain a water heater?
By maintaining a water heater means all of its parts are in good working condition, and the heater is supplying hot water as per your requirement. So, for the maintenance, the first step involves checking the important parts of the water heater.
Check the TPR valve
The temperature-pressure release (TPR) valve is responsible for regulating the temperature and the pressure inside the tank. It must be in a good working state, or else it poses a serious hazard. It is because water temperature or the pressure must not be increased after a certain limit, or it can cause an explosion. Here, the water heater expansion tank plays a crucial role.
For testing, place a bucket under the discharge pipe and lift the lever of the TPR valve. If it doesn’t release the water, or the water keeps flowing, you need to replace the valve.
Remove sediments from the tank
It is common for a water heater tank to accumulate sediments at the bottom, and with time, it builds up to the extent that it starts creating problems. Not only can it cause blockage in the pipelines, but the sediments can also cause cracks in the heater’s tank.
For cleaning, drain the water and let the sediments flush out. Keep doing it until the clean water starts coming out of the hose.
You should be cleaning the tank once a month or at least twice a year in order to keep it free from the sediments.
Set the thermostat
The hotness of the water can be regulated via a thermostat. You can do it as per your need and requirements. Keep it at an ideal temperature of 120 degrees F, and if you are leaving the house for a few days, consider changing it to its lowest setting. In this way, you can save energy costs and will also help maintain efficiency and quality.
Insulation
The water releases its hotness as it travels through the pipes and reaches the faucet. Similarly, it loses the temperature over time even if the water is in the heater’s tank. For this, pipes and heater insulation is done.
Signs your water heater needs maintenance
It is suggested not to wait for any signs but keep a regular check on the maintenance of the water heater. However, if you aren’t able to do that, there are signs that if they appear, you must inspect the heater and look for the problems if there are any.
The signs include:
- Low water pressure
- Leaks
- The strange sound coming out of the heater’s tank
- Cloudy water coming out of the faucet
- Hot water runs out too quickly
- The water is not as hot as it should be
If you notice any of these, it’s time to check the water heater. Remember that the sooner you detect the problem, the easier it will be to get hold of it. If you ignore such signs, it can turn out to be a big issue.
Conclusion
With simple maintenance, you can keep your water heater running efficiently and that too for a long time. However, if you are too busy to keep a check, you will run out of hot water sooner or later.
Having said that, water heaters don’t require regular maintenance; a thorough inspection once in a while will do the job. But, if you are constantly getting the signs and you keep your eyes closed, the outcome will be onto you.
You can perform a maintenance check yourself in a short amount of time, and you will benefit from your water heater for many years to come.