Your water heater is one of the most essential yet ignored devices in your home. A water heater maintenance checklist ready is significant for extending its lifespan- while securing your family from unnecessary plumbing emergencies. Even though water heaters are overlooked demands for washing dishes, cleaning clothes, and showering, many homeowners take water heaters for granted and ignore routine maintenance. But if your water heater is about to fail, you cannot complete daily tasks. You would require yourself to put everything on hold to attend to your plumbing issues, which could eventually turn into a disaster. Prevent the unexpected and sudden disappointment of water heater malfunction by maintaining your water heater yearly. Learning some principles such as flushing your water heater, evaluating its condition, and replacing anode rod fundamentals will help conserve time, hassle-free, and save money while extending the life of your water heater.
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Water Heater Maintenance: Checklist for Homeowners
Tip 1: Identify the water heater age
Professional plumbers strongly advise preparing for replacements of your water heater before it turns into a tremendous emergency. Emergency plumbing repairs are always costly. In a critical situation, the most reliable, expert plumbers for the job may not be there for many days. Remember that most water heaters have a life of around 10 to 15 years, depending on the quality, brand, and usage. When hard water is present in your tank, some water heaters last for only 5 to 7 years.
If you are uncertain about the age of your water heater, it is essential to determine it. You can start finding the manufacturer’s sticker on the water heater. It must include the date of manufacture. If you cannot see it, another good option is looking for the serial number. By searching on the internet for the serial number, you can find the manufacturing year of your water heater. It will provide you with an idea of when you need a water heater replacement.
Tip 2: Conduct a visual check
A visual evaluation of your water heater can help you avoid any water heater catastrophes, including disastrous flooding problems. Look at your water heater parts closely, including the tank, pipe joints, and pipes. Make sure to jot down the leakage or rusting parts, and pay close attention to the water heater tank- because the tank usually malfunctions first. If you notice corrosion on the water heater tank, it signifies the metal that holds water in the system is failing, which could cause flooding. Remember that leaking water heaters are not repairable, so when the water heater tank deteriorates, it is time for water heater replacement.
Tip 3: Empty the water heater
If you have changed your water heater lately, you should start your routine water heater maintenance to prolong its lifespan. First, you will want to empty your water heater annually, which includes flushing the water content. Clearing out the water from the heater regularly will help eliminate any accumulated sediment and mineral deposits. If you have not flushed your water heater in many years, there may be considerable buildup, and only a portion of dirt will come out. It is essential to learn to flush your water heater annually.
Water Heater Maintenance: Checklist for Your Plumber
Tip 4: Think of replacing the anode rod with a specialist
Prolonging the lifespan of your water heater helps save money and time, and it can stop sudden and unexpected plumbing emergencies. Another essential tip for efficient water heater maintenance includes anode rod replacement, which is made of aluminum, zinc, or magnesium, and found in the water heater tank.
Because tap water eats away the steel lining slowly of your water heater tank, the anode rod keeps its efficiency and integrity by drawing corrosive elements. Anode rods are essential for many homeowners with hard water since it has a lot of dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, which makes the decaying process faster. It also helps water heater failure because the corrosive elements attract the anode rod instead of the water heater tank.
Nevertheless, anode rods are only efficient while they are in good working condition. Thus, replacing it about once every three years is an excellent idea. It is much more complicated than flushing a water heater. Call a professional and licensed plumber to do the job. It will protect and save your unit from premature deterioration.
Tip 5: Let a professional examine the pressure relief valve.
Many plumbers would approve that checking the temperature and pressure relief (T&P) valve should be on any water heater maintenance checklist. The T&P valve is an essential safety device that averts excessive pressure and temperature buildup in the water heater tank as it warms water during the day.
The T&P valve reacts to any too much buildup by lifting, letting hot water extend, and releasing any pressure the water tank is not made to carry. Though uncommon, a water heater tank could burst without a properly working T&P valve. Some local plumbers may recommend that homeowners examine the valve themselves, but most professional and master plumbers suggest hiring an expert to check and maintain the T&P valve.
Are you ready to prevent possible water heater problems or emergencies? By understanding these maintenance checklists and putting these practices in mind, you will not only prolong the life of your water heater; you will secure your family and your home from the unnecessary stress of possible water disasters at home. If you need trustworthy and professional plumbers in Frisco, TX, and surrounding communities for water heater services, call Lex’s Plumbing. You can also visit our website at https://www.lexsplumbing.com/. We can assist you with any plumbing concerns and issues. Call us now!
