Water heaters are a necessary part of any home, but they can often be overlooked when it comes to repairs and maintenance of a water heater. If you're not sure how to take care of your water heater or what to do if it breaks down, read on for our ten quick tips about water heater repair. With a little bit of knowledge and some preventive maintenance, you can keep your water heater running smoothly for years to come.
Your water heater is something you likely take for granted unless it breaks. Once it does, though, the importance of having a functional and reliable appliance may become all too clear. Fortunately there are quick and easy things that most people can do to maintain their water heating unit and prevent many issues before they start.
Here are ten important tips about water heater repair.
1. Do Not Flush Clorox Bleach
Do not flush Clorox bleach down the drain to attempt to clean your water heater. This can actually eat away at protective insulation and damage the metal, causing leaks and rusting. Instead, add one cup of bleach for every forty gallons of water in the tank and let it sit for several hours. Then drain the tank through the hose at the bottom, using a garden hose if possible.
Do not flush bleach down the drain to clean your water heater!
2. Drain Your Heater Using The Drain Valve
Draining your tank is important because it removes sediment and buildup from minerals in the water. It also reduces the risk of corrosion and ruptures. Draining is especially important when converting from a well to public water supply, or for an electric tank if you are installing a gas water heater.
By draining your heater monthly during normal use, you'll keep sediment from building up and corroding your metal!
3. Clean The Sediment Out Regularly
By draining your heater monthly during normal use, you'll keep sediment from building up and corroding your metal!
4. Keep The Temperature Below 120 Degrees Fahrenheit
Most manufacturers recommend keeping the temperature of your water heater between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit to maximize its lifespan. If it gets too hot, this can cause sediment buildup to corrode the metal. You should also set your thermostat below 120 to reduce energy usage and lower your monthly water heating costs.
5. Don't Turn It Up When Empty
If you turn up the heat when there is no water in the tank, this will stress the metal and cause failures faster than normal. It also takes longer for water to heat up, which is a waste of energy.
6. Clean The Burner Regularly With A Garden Hose
You can clean your burner by attaching a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the heater and turning on high pressure water while looking inside through an access panel or door. You should only do this when the water heater is cold, and make sure to follow all manufacturer recommendations for your specific heater.
7. Drain Moisture From The Bottom Of The Tank If it Is Visible
Moisture buildup in a hot water tank can cause corrosion and rusting, which leads to leaks over time. In addition, it decreases efficiency by allowing the heater to heat up longer before water is actually delivered. If it is visible, remove any insulation below the drain valve and open the valve to let moisture escape.
8. Lower The Flue Temperature Limit If You Live In A Cold Climate
If you live in a cold climate, you may need to lower the flue temperature limit to keep your water heater from freezing. The flue temperature limit is the maximum setting for your thermostat, and the lower you set it, the more energy it will use.
9. Clean Mineral Deposits With Acid Every Few Years
You can clean mineral deposits by adding one cup of acid (such as muriatic acid) for every ten gallons of water in the tank. Let it sit for several hours, flush with water, and empty the tank through the hose at the bottom using a garden hose if possible.
10. Drain Your Tank Annually To Maintain It
Annual draining removes sediment that has built up over time, preventing corrosion and stress on metal components. It can also reduce the amount of sediment in your plumbing, which may prevent damage.
Conclusion : Water heaters are an important part of your home. If you need help with water heater repair or installation, look no further than the experts at our plumbing company. We provide quality workmanship and outstanding customer service to ensure that every job is done right the first time! Call us Cali’s Choices Plumbing & Restoration today for more information on how we can best serve your needs in this area!
Author Bio:- Jacqueline Lewis
Jacqueline is a content marketing manager who formerly worked at Cali's Choice Plumbing & Restoration. She is a writer, editor, and content strategist for plumbing services. Making her knowledge and skills a power, she amplifies the readers’ knowledge about the ways of water leak and slab leak detection and their reciprocation.
Through her articles, she shares the most successful tactics and strategies of slab leak repair, mitigating blockages through Hydro Jetting, and AC & heater installation tips to the audience.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CalisChoice
