Your water heater is one rather used and higher priced appliances in your home, and consumes a large regarding your energy dollars each month. And experts say regular care and maintenance is essential to protecting your investment and saving with regards to your home heating and costs.
Regular flushing of one’s water heater are probably the single most important step you can take to prolong its service life and to save energy. For time, sediments build up in the bottom of your hot water heater. These sediments act as a barrier between the flame and the tank, thereby making your heater burn longer and hotter. In part destructive to the tank, but highly inefficient and will significantly raise your heating costs.
In most areas of the country, the typical 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. And with the costs of replacement running from $700 to over $1200 in some cases, getting the most from your heater is in today’s weather. In addition, regular flushing makes your hot water heater run more efficiently and can cut heating costs in half. 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, which will help should set the thermostat to pilot (if it can be 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 more than a water inlet line going into your water heater. You may then connect a hose to the drain valve located in the bottoom of the heater. Open the drain and allow it to move until all from the water has emptied from the hot water heater. Then close the drain. Open the water supply valve and refill the heater. You should also open a hot water faucet somewhere at home and stand there and watch it run for several minutes until water flows out perfectly. This will allow air to vent from the heater and the hot water lines. Finally, you can turn the thermostat for you 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 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 your area to discuss options and products to suit your needs.
Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical
The Woodlands, TX
(281) 528-1610