Your water heater is the only thing standing between you and miserably cold showers. But sadly, most homeowners don’t think about their water heater until it is too late. It takes that one ice-cold shower in the early morning to realize that this hard-working appliance provides a one of a kind service to you and your home. And at this point, the damage is done, and you are forced to invest in a new water heater. But hopefully, you have learned your lesson. You will now understand that a little maintenance for your home’s water heater has many incredible benefits.
A Longer Life Expectancy
The average traditional water heater has a life expectancy of eight to twelve years. But that estimate is based on a unit that is getting some annual TLC. The most important maintenance task is draining and flushing the holding tank each year, or more often if your area water has high mineral content. Draining the tank is the only way to remove the mineral sediment in the tank and prevent it from beginning to damage the tank wall. Once rust or corrosion is compromising the holding tank’s integrity, it is time to buy a new water heater. There is no safe way to repair a tank. But by removing the minerals each year, you are eliminating the potential for rust, corrosion, and an unnecessarily short life for your water heater.
Avoiding Costly Repairs
Just like any appliance, there are small problems that can arise with a water heater. You might have a loose wire, a clog forming in the gas line, or even a tiny leak in the piping. And when caught quickly and repaired, these issues are inexpensive and easy to correct. Your plumbing professional would notice all of these items during an annual inspection and cleaning so that they could repair them. However, if you don’t have a yearly appointment, it could be years before you notice any issue, and by then, it could be too late.
Imagine a tiny drip from a pipe above your water heater. It would only take a few minutes for a licensed plumber to repair the leak. But after several years of water dripping down the outside of your water heater, there is rust compromising the tank and the water heater’s safety. Issues like these and their significant expenses are eliminated when you invest a small amount in regular water heater care and maintenance.
Increased Efficiency
In most homes, your water heater is the second-largest consumer of energy behind your HVAC system. And that also translates to the second-largest energy waster if it is not maintained correctly. Over time, the minerals in your water begin to create sediment in the holding tank. This material settles to the bottom of the tank. It works as an insulator to inhibit the heating of your hot water.
The sediment continues to build up without regular draining and flushing, and your hot water continues to drop in temperature. But your expenses continue to increase, as the water heater works in vain to heat the water to the appropriate temperature. This annual service is also the perfect time to locate any tiny leaks and drips that could be costing you money. While a single dripping drain or pressure relief valve might not seem like a big deal, it can result in a waste of over 1,000 gallons of water over the course of a year. And sadly, also a waste of the energy used to heat that water.
Peace Of Mind
If you have never had your water heater fail, then you have not experienced the sudden shock of a home with no hot water. It is a modern convenience that we all take for granted. Even if you are only without hot water for a day or two, it can seem like much longer. And it can provide a new appreciation for your water heater. Providing the necessary maintenance for your water heater to reach a decade of reliability is a huge worry that you can eliminate from your life.
To learn more about a regular service plan for your water heater, call (214) 388-8838 and speak to the licensed plumbers at Flow Plumbing.
