Most people forget about their water heater until there's a problem with it. One moment you're taking a nice, hot shower and the next you're freezing. However, letting the neglect go on for too long can mean that you'll have to replace it sooner than had you taken the time to perform maintenance on it. Which can cost you even more money down the road.
When Should You Do It?
Every year you should be flushing out your tank and examining the anode rod to ensure that it's intact and in the right position. The good news is you'll only need to add insulation and set the temperature once. Once you add insulation, you can take comfort in the fact that it can reduce the amount of heat lost by up to 45%, and save you up to 9% when it comes to your energy bills. When you flush the tank, you clear out the sediment that has built up which helps keep your heater functioning for longer. So if you haven't looked at your water heater for a while, it's time to start performing these important tasks. If your anode rod is in the right position and still working properly, it will keep the water heater from the dreaded rust that can ultimately destroy it.
What Else Should I Know?
As you might imagine, doing this decreases the chances you'll have to spend big money on a new heater. You'll need to know how to shut off your heater, and the basic internal workings of it. Sure signs that you need to do some type of maintenance is when your pipes are making knocking or rumbling sounds, there's rust in the water, or there's water around the heater. Also, keep the space around a gas heater as clean as possible. The more stuff surrounding it, the more likely it will begin to leak.
Speak with a plumbing expert today at Pritchard Wilson. Lets us help you with all your heating and cooling needs!
