Though you don’t absolutely need a water heater in your home, it’s difficult to imagine life without one. Think of having to heat buckets of water when you needed to take a bath or wash your dishes as people did back in the day. This is why it’s worth it to keep your water heater in good working condition. The good news is this isn’t hard, expensive, or very time-consuming. Here are a few water heater maintenance tips for the New Year.
Have a Professional Inspect Your Water Heater
Though there are a number of maintenance jobs you can do by yourself, it’s always a good idea to bring in a professional plumber to check your water heater from time to time. A plumber can find and fix problems that a layperson can’t solve before those problems become large, expensive, or insurmountable. One tip is to have a pro check the water heater at the same time the HVAC system is checked. That would be once before the heating season and once before the cooling season.
Also, if you suspect that your water heater needs some kind of repair that you can’t do yourself, don’t hesitate to call in a plumber. Your heater may cease to make hot water, or the water may be suddenly so hot that it scalds. The tank may also be leaking. You might suspect this if you see a spike in energy bills. Don’t wait until you turn on your hot water tap and nothing comes out.
Flush the Tank
It’s a good idea to flush a tank regularly when it’s brand new and then every six to 12 months after it’s “settled in.” Flushing takes sediment from the tank that could damage its interior and shorten its life. You can suspect that your water heater tank is full of sediment if you hear knocking or rumbling or if the water that comes out of your tap is cloudy. All you need to do to drain your tank is to attach an old garden hose to the drain cock, and flush the water into a bucket.
Insulate Your Water Heater
Even though the water heater and its pipes are warm, you should still consider insulating them against the winter weather. This is especially true if your water heater is in an uninsulated part of your house like a crawl space. Just wrap the tank in a blanket made to insulate it. Be careful not to cover the top of a heater that uses gas or oil, however.
For More Maintenance Tips, Call Our Plumbers
Regular maintenance of your water heater is easy and inexpensive, and our plumbers are always eager to provide tips to make sure your heater stays in top shape. If you need advice or service for your water heater, give us a call at EcoWorks in Beaumont, Texas today.
