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Parables From The Plumbers...

Tips For Maintaining Your Unit

4/16/2018

19 Comments

 
A little bit of effort every so often to ensure that your water heater is able to perform at it's best potential is highly recommended by us. Doing a few key things every now and then will save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars down the road when you need to repair or replace a water heater that has been poorly cared for.

Follow these tips to ensure you get the most out of your electric, gas, or tankless water heater:

1. Keep the thermostat adjusted to around 120 degrees.

For every 10 degrees that you lower the temperature setting, you'll save about 5% in energy costs each month. Keeping your water heater dialed in at an appropriate temperature that will provide you with hot water that is just right-- not too hot and scalding, but still a temperature that allows you to enjoy a shower just as you'd prefer, is a small thing that requires just a few seconds of your time, and can save you money month after month.

2. Maintain about two feet of clearance around the appliance at all times.

Keeping the area around your unit free and clear does a couple of things. It allows you, or a repairman, to have plenty of room to handle draining the tank, or executing service on the unit. It also prevents any foreign objects from causing damage to your water heater that may cause bigger issues. If a leak springs, you want to be able to get to it and put a stop to it quickly, so that you limit that damage the overflow of water causes to your home.

3. Drain about 25% of the tank a few times each year.

Doing this helps to remove the sediment that builds up in your tank from having water come in and out all the time. Excessive build-up of sediment can have adverse effects on your unit, and cause it to do weird things like overheat, and function improperly. Turn the cold water supply off, hook a garden hose up to your tank, and drain it into a bucket. When the water is clear, you know you've done everything in your power to remove as much gunk as possible from the tank.

4. Test the temperature-pressure (TP) relief valve once per year to ensure it's working properly.

Quickly discharging it two to three times will give you a good idea that it's working the way it should. After doing so, keep an eye on it for any leaks. Tightening this valve up is a simple measure that can save you from big trouble later on.

5. Examine the anode rod about every three years.

A simple check of this rod will help to ensure that your water heater is working properly, and give you an idea of the life it has left. Look for build-up of calcium, the rod being less than 1/2" thick, and for more than 6" of core steel wire that is exposed. If you notice any of these, replace the rod immediately.

6. Adjust the setting to "vacation" when you're leaving town.

This is perhaps the simplest tip on the list, and yet almost nobody does it. If you have a gas water heater, this will maintain the pilot light, without heating the water. Not only will this save you in energy costs for the time you are away from the home, it will also significantly reduce the chances of anything bad happening while you're gone, as pressures are reduced and water temperatures obviously lowered.

Hopefully the above tips provide you with some simple maintenance tasks to perform during the life of your water heater. If you need water heater repair in Savannah, you know who to call. 
19 Comments
Tez link
8/25/2021 02:20:55 pm

I like your water heater tips. My unit is broken. I'll have to call a repairman.

Reply
Ava link
10/15/2021 01:08:52 am

The tankless water heater is a compact and efficient solution for heating water. It ensures a nonstop supply of hot water in winters that make it a convenient option for both small and large families.

Reply
Mia Evans link
10/29/2021 11:16:09 pm

Thanks for pointing out that excessive build-up of sediments would have adverse effects on the unit. I guess I need to hire a heater maintenance service to check on our unit. It's because we've been in this house for two years now, and we've never gotten the heater checked that is why I hope to get it serviced before any repairs are needed.

Reply
Hot Water Heater Replacement link
12/4/2021 01:34:23 pm

He pulled a wrench from his back pocket, waded through the swirling current, and stood beneath one particular junction of pipes. Thank you for making this such an awesome post!

Reply
Gulf Shores Roofer link
12/11/2021 03:00:47 pm

Plumbers are usually the first service professionals homeowners turn to in an emergency. They handle everything from toilets that overflow,

Reply
Hailey Miller link
12/15/2021 08:08:24 pm

Thanks for pointing out that draining helps remove sediment that builds up in our tank. This is helpful because my husband and I want to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for our five kids. With this, we will look for experts on Monday who can clean and maintain our hot water heater every six months.

Reply
Millie Hue link
2/1/2022 07:12:55 pm

It really helped when you said that we should keep the area free of clutter to ensure that the repairman can easily enter where the unit is. I will follow your advice now that we need water heater services as soon as tomorrow. It's when we noticed that the water did not warm up a bit this afternoon when I was done cleaning my home and needed a good shower.

Reply
Braden Bills link
3/3/2022 06:59:00 am

I want to make sure that I take good care of my water heater. It makes sense that I would want to get it properly maintained. It might be smart for me to get a professional to help me out with this.

Reply
Tex Hooper link
3/15/2022 03:32:13 pm

You make a great point about how you might need to drain the tank from time to time. I need to get a contractor who can replace our unit coils. I think they are keeping the water from getting warm.

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John Carston link
3/15/2022 11:21:29 pm

It's awesome that this article talked about the importance of taking care of temperature to prevent having damage to your unit.  My wife said that she wants hot water installed to protect us from being cold all the time, and he asked if I had any ideas on what the best option would be. I appreciate the information you provide, and I'll make sure to consult a reputable service for our hot water installation.

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Jeff Carbine link
3/31/2022 06:04:43 pm

It really helped me when you said a quick inspection of this rod can assist to guarantee that your water heater is in good operating order and will give you an estimate of how much longer it has to live. As This morning, while I was lining up the boxes in the basement, I heard a peculiar noise coming from the laundry room, where the boiler is housed. I'll call a plumber in my region later today to figure out what's wrong. Thank you for the advice on how to figure out whether the boiler needs to be fixed.

Reply
Victoria Addington link
5/2/2022 02:50:24 am

It was most captivating when you discussed that providing about two feet of clearance around your water heater prevents other objects from hurting your unit. My friend mentioned that the water heater in their building needs some work. I should advise him to turn to a repair shop that deals with any type of commercial water heater problems.

Reply
Eli Richardson link
5/9/2022 01:15:56 pm

Wow, I didn't know that I had to drain a water heater's tank every now and then. Recently, we moved into another area, and the weather's too cold for us, so we decided to invest in a water heater. My wife and I want to make sure we'd keep the water heated in good shape, so we'll definitely follow your tips. Thanks for the advice on removing sediment from a water heater.

Reply
marketing automation system link
8/24/2022 02:55:39 pm

Turn the cold water supply off, hook a garden hose up to your tank, and drain it into a bucket. When the water is clear, you know you've done everything in your power to remove as much gunk as possible from the tank. Thank you so much for sharing all this wonderful info with us! It is so appreciated!

Reply
hot water heater repair boulder link
9/1/2022 02:57:52 am

Thanks for pointing out that draining helps remove sediment that builds up in our tank.

Reply
Burnice Bauch link
10/18/2022 10:46:19 am

There is a lot of useful information here, and the articles are excellent.

Reply
rainforestplumbingandair link
12/13/2022 05:59:47 am

Perhaps the most important reason to keep your home's furnace maintenance up-to-date is that it creates a better living environment for you and your family. Your air quality is better because the air filter works more effectively to remove debris and dirt from your home.

Reply
hot water installation perth link
3/3/2023 04:44:35 am

Beautiful illustration on the Parables From The Plumbers. So, happy that I found your blog. Thank you for posting this useful information over here. Appreciative content. I love reading this article. I would surely come again in this site to learn more.

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Steve Smith link
3/17/2023 04:15:27 pm

It helped when you said that lowering the temperature when using your water heater could help save costs and energy. Last night, my wife told me that she wanted a water heater that could provide a cost-effective water heater for us to have a warm shower experience. She asked if I had any idea what would be the best option for consultation. I'm grateful for the information you gave. I'll consult a trusted hot water heater installation service as they can provide more information about the installation process.

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