Caring for your water heater saves money
A water heater that works well will keep your utility bill from breaking the bank. It will never leak and cause water damage, or break down constantly. By caring for your water tank, you also increase its lifespan.
Which means that it will be a long time before you will need to buy a new water heater. To take care of your heater, you only need to do some simple things like:
1. Know important information about the heater
To take care of a water heater, a person should know where it is located and how to turn off the water supply. If the heater is powered by gas, the person should know where the gas valve is.
If it is powered by electricity, they should know the location of the circuit breaker. It almost goes without saying, but every member of a household should know where the thermostat is.
This information comes in handy in case of a water or gas leak. A person will also need the information to perform basic maintenance tasks like draining the heater.
2. Keep the area around the water heater clear
The water heater should be accessible at all times, and a person should not have to run an obstacle course to reach it. There are important reasons for giving a water heater the space it deserves.
For one, clutter will absorb leaking gas or prevent it from reaching the noses of the people in a home. This means that a gas leak may go undetected and become a dangerous fire hazard.
It is also easier to detect a water leak when there is an empty area around the heater. Lastly, the area around the heater should be clear to allow access to the thermostat, circuit breaker, switches and valves.
3. Inspect the water heater for leaks
Check the heater and the water pipes that feed it for cracks, rust and loose joints. Early detection of water leaks allows a person to repair the heater and prevent water damage and expensive repairs in the future.
A person should check for leaks on a regular basis.
4. Do annual inspections
Once a year, go over every inch of the water heater and its pipes. Check for leaks and rust on the pipes and valves that supply the water and the gas. Make sure that the thermostat is working well and confirm that the electrical switches are in good condition.
If a person detects soot on the fuel components they should call a professional to repair the heater.
5. Drain or flush your heater
Drain a little water from the heater to check for debris or sedimentation. If a person sees particles in the drained water, then they should proceed to flush the heater.
To flush the heater, first, empty the tank. Next, turn the water back on while the drain remains open. The water will run through the tank and wash out any sediments in the tank.
6. Make some energy savings
To reduce the utility bill, lower the thermostat setting to 120 degrees. Whenever the house is left empty for a while, turn down the thermostat completely or better yet, turn off the heater.
Use foam pipe insulation to cover the water pipes. Insulation will prevent the hot water pipes from losing heat and stop condensation from forming on the cold water pipes. To finish the job, insulate the water tank with a suitable type of insulation.
Simple measures go a long way
The most important way to keep a water heater in good condition is by taking small measures that take just a little bit of time. Have you had a look at your water heater recently?
Schedule a heater checkup today!
For more information or to schedule an appointment with Jay Young Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, request an appointment in our Wolfforth office here: https://jyplumbinghvac.com. Or call us at (806) 783-8318.