Maintenance Tips to Make Sure Your Water Heater is Working Properly

Are you looking for cost-effective ways to extend the lifetime of your water heater and save some money at the same time?

Then make sure to take a look at our list of ways to ensure that your water heater is not only working properly and providing you with access to clean, hot water whenever you need it, but is also helping you save on your energy bills at the same time.

Keep reading to learn more:

Wrap It Up

An easy way to keep your water heater in perfect working condition and reduce strain on your system is to insulate the unit.

Insulating your water heater helps keep the warm air caused by the hot water inside from dissipating into the air, helping your unit stay warmer and work less hard to maintain a consistent temperature.

If you have a gas unit, it’s important to make sure that you don’t cover the top of the tank while insulating it. Not only are the controls generally located here, but covering this area prevents exhaust from escaping and is a serious fire hazard. On the flip side, if your water heater is an electric model you can insulate the entirety of the tank without worry, as long as you leave the controls uncovered.

Turn Down the Temperature

You’d be surprised what a difference a few degrees can make when it comes to extending the life of your water heater and bringing your energy costs down.

To lower the internal temperature in your tank, simply turn down the temperature dial, which is generally a thermostat on electric models and a valve on gas-powered models. Turn down the heat to between 115 and 120 degrees F and enjoy the peace of mind and savings it will bring.

Drain the Sediment From the Tank

Standing water tends to have sediment in it, and since mineral deposits are heavier than the water they will sink to the bottom of the tank over time, causing sediment to build up on the bottom of the tank. It’s important to be vigilant about draining sediment on an annual basis (or more often if you have “hard” water) because sediment can clog your unit and lead to malfunctions and other issues which may leave you without access to hot water.

Draining sediment is easy: simply turn off the power to your water heater and shut off the cold-water inlet. Then, attach a garden hose and begin draining the tank while keeping the pressure relief valve open.

Once the tank has been drained of all water and sediment, disconnect the hose, close the pressure relief valve, turn your cold water inlet on, and open all your faucets to “hot.” As the water begins flowing again, close each spigot and restore power to the tank once every spigot is closed.

Are you looking for professional assistance when it comes to keeping your water heater running perfectly? Then call 210-566-2665 and reach the experts at A & A Plumbing servicing the San Antonio, TX area, for all your repair, maintenance, and installation needs.