Your water heater is one of the used and more expensive appliances in your home, and consumes a large portion of your energy dollars each month. And experts say regular care and maintenance is essential to protecting your investment and saving from the home heating and energy costs.
Regular flushing of the water heater is considered the single most important step you consider to prolong its service life and even save energy. In a period of time, sediments enhance in the bottom of your water heater. These sediments act as a barrier between the flame and the tank, thereby making your heater burn longer and hotter. This is not merely destructive to the tank, but highly inefficient and will significantly raise your heating costs.
In most regarding the country, the common water heater lasts 3-5 years. Regularly flushing your hot water heater can double the life of your water heater from 3-5 to 7-10 years. To provide a source costs of replacement running from $700 to over $1200 in some cases, getting the most from your heater is a must in today’s weather. In addition, regular flushing makes your hot water heater run more efficiently and can cut heating costs fifty percent. Depending on the volume of drinking water your home uses, that can mean a savings of $20 to over $50 a week.
To drain your water heater, you can find should set the thermostat to pilot (if it is a gas water heater) or turn the circuit breaker off (if it is an electric heater). Failure to do so could result in overheating and severe damage to water heater. Next, close the water supply valve located over the water inlet line going into your water heater. You can then connect a garden hose to the drain valve located towards the end of the heater. Open the drain and allow it to run until all from the water has emptied from the heating unit. Then close the drain. Open the water supply valve and refill the hot water heater. You should also open a hot water faucet somewhere inside the house and stand there and watch it run for several minutes until water flows out smoothly. This will allow air to vent inside heater and the water lines. Finally, you can turn the thermostat to its regular setting (for a gas heater), or turn the circuit breakers back on (for an electric heater).
Besides regularly flushing your water heater, plumbing experts also advise adding a water treatment system to your home to filter or condition the water so may less corrosive to your plumbing system, particularly in areas which have hard water. For more ways to care for and protect your home plumbing system, contact a licensed, professional plumbing contractor in place to discuss options and merchandise to be fitting.
Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical
The Woodlands, TX
(281) 528-1610