The Importance of Water Heater Maintenance
We all use water heaters in our daily routines for things like showering and washing up. And because we use them so often it is important that we make sure we invest in water heater maintenance on a regular basis in our homes. It is common for water heaters to wear out or breakdown and monitoring this is an important task.
In Florida, we have hard water which requires maintenance and monitoring our water heaters regularly. Hard water builds up large amounts of calcium (at a rapid rate) inside a water heater and annual flushing of the heater is important to prevent blockages. Annual maintenance and flushing of your water heater will help stop the calcium from building up into large rocks that get stuck in the system and cannot come out of the water heater. Flushing your water heater annually prolongs its life and allows you to monitor the water temperature. It also allows you to detect rusting of your heater – when there is a build-up of rust, you need to replace the water heater.
Water heater maintenance is important for safety – there are safety devices on a water heater that should be tested at least once a year. For example, it is important to test the relief valve of your water heater to prevent anyone from being scalded or burned. The average life of a water heater ranges from eight to twelve years, but what if we told you that you could prolong the life of your system by doing routine maintenance?
The Importance of Water Heater Maintenance
-
Increased Efficiency
Calcium build-up is very common in water heaters, and can be a major contributor to making your system less efficient. The build-up of loose minerals settles on the bottom of your water heater making it more difficult for the water heater to produce hot water. In a gas water heater, these minerals can create hot spots that cause tank damage and failure. In an electric water heater, these minerals can cause the lower heating element to fail. Flushing and maintaining your water heater regularly will result in increased efficiency.
-
Saves You Money
Flushing your water heater at least once a year or every six months (if possible) will likely save you money on your next utility bill and will result in hot water quicker. When you flush your water heater, you contribute to reducing your home’s energy use because draining your water heater helps to ensure that it is functioning properly and clean water heaters use less energy.
-
Extends Life
If you annually or bi-annually tune-up your water heater, you can extend the lifetime of your water heater.
-
No Surprises
Maintaining your water heater helps you to avoid surprises such as cold showers or coming home to a flood in your home from a broken water heater.
-
Maintain Full Volume
Sediment and mineral build up in your water heater can reduce the volume of water that the tank is able to hold. By carrying out a simple tune-up, you are able to get full use of the water tank and increase the hot water volume of your water heater.