For most homeowners, water heater maintenance never comes to mind. You can prolong the life of your water heater plus save you money on your energy bill by doing some simple annual maintenance.
Drain & Clean Tank
How long has it been since you’ve drained the tank and washed out the calcium or limestone buildup in your water heater? Never, right?
Springfield, MO and the surrounding area has a lot of minerals in our water table. It’s a good idea to flush the sediment out of the tank on an annual basis to keep your water heater working as it should.
Here’s how:
- Turn off your water heater and allow to cool.
- Drain the water from the tank into a bucket.
- Stir the sediment on the bottom to loosen.
- Drain and repeat until clean water flows from the hose.
Check Temperature Setting
Make sure the temperature on your water heater is set to 120 degrees for safety and energy savings. Temperatures lower than 120 degrees can be a breeding ground for bacteria in stagnant water, i.e., legionella, which causes Legionnaire’s disease.
If you have the temperature set too high, you run the risk of scalding. For every 10 degrees the temperature is lowered is from a 150-degree setting, you can expect to save up to 5 percent in energy costs.
Here’s how:
- Locate the temperature dial on the side of the tank.
- Unscrew the cover.
- Adjust the dial to 120 degrees using a flathead screwdriver.
- Replace the cover.
Bonus money saving tip:
Turn your water heater off or the thermostat down to its lowest setting if you plan to be away from home for an extended amount of time (more than three days).
Insulate
Insulating your water heater and pipes helps reduce condensation in the summer months and heat retention in the winter months.
Here’s how:
- Buy self-sticking 3/8-inch-thick foam pipe insulation that matches the pipes’ diameter.
- Slide the foam over the hot-and cold-water pipes as far as you can reach.
- Peel the tape and squeeze the insulation closed.
- If the pipe is 6 inches or less from the flue, cover it with 1-inch-thick unfaced fiberglass pipe wrap.
- Purchase a water heater tank insulated blanket (sometimes called jacket)
- Wrap the water heater tank with insulated blanket. (If you have an oil or gas water heater, don’t cover the top.)
Typically, hot water heaters last between 6-12 years, depending on the maintenance of it. These tips will be beneficial to prolong the life of your water heater, but also can show immediate results in savings on your utility bill!
Call A&D Mechanical Service for your plumbing needs.
If you find that you don’t want to go the DIY route on these maintenance steps, give us a call and we’ll keep the water flowing hot.
When it comes to maintenance, repair, and replacement of a water heater, we have skilled technicians ready to help.
