A water heater that delivers hot water on demand is a must for modern life, and a good supply of hot water is especially important during the holidays when guests arrive and feasts are served. Here are seven needful tips to make sure your hot water tank works the way it should.
1. Have the Water Heater Inspected
It’s good practice to have the water heater inspected at least once a year. There are problems that a professional plumber can detect and repair that a layperson can’t.
2. Insulate the Tank and the Pipes
Insulation for both the hot water tank and the pipes connected to it is inexpensive and can be found at the local hardware store. Insulating the tank keeps heat from escaping, which is especially useful if the tank is in a place that gets cold in the winter such as an unfinished basement. An insulated water heater doesn’t have to work as hard and keeps energy bills down. Insulation on the pipes also keeps the water hot as it flows to the home’s fixtures.
3. Clean or Replace the Filters
Cleaning and replacing filters in any system, whether it’s the HVAC system or the water heater, is one of the simplest and most cost-effective jobs. It’s easy to overlook because it’s so simple, but replacing or cleaning the water tank’s air intake filter should be a regularly scheduled task. Dirty filters make the heater work harder and can shorten its life.
4. Check the TPR Valve
This crucial part of the water heater is meant to vent pressure if it becomes too high inside the tank. Without it, the tank could frankly explode. Along with regularly replacing the filter, the TPR valve should also tested. Doing it is easy. All that needs to be done is to open the valve via a lever and let water come out. There shouldn’t be that much, but if a lot of water comes out or no water comes out, the valve needs replacing. The valve’s working the way it should if the water stops flowing after the lever is lowered.
5. Keep the Temperature at 120 Degrees Fahrenheit
Another way to take care of the water heater is to not let the water get too hot. This not only makes the unit work harder than it should, but very hot water can scald. Though a water heater can go as high as 140 degrees, plumbers recommend it be set to 120 degrees F.
6. Flush the Tank
A brand-new water heater needs to be flushed at least every six months, but after that, it should be flushed every year. Flushing cleans the tank of debris and sediment that could shorten the tank’s working life. However, a tankless water heater doesn’t need to be flushed.
7. Check the Anode Rod
Water heaters come with sacrificial anode rods. These rods attract corrosive material that would otherwise damage the tank. Eventually, the rods get so corroded they need to be replaced. It’s easy to find an anode rod replacement at the hardware store.
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