7 Maintenance Tips for Water Heaters

Nowadays, water heater manufacturers design water heaters in such a way that requires almost zero maintenance. With a modern water heater unit, you can enjoy an endless supply of warm water by just installing the water heater right way and setting the temperature correctly. Still, there are a few things that you need to take care to ensure your water heater working efficiently for a comparatively long time.

However, in this particular post, we are going to provide you with 7 Most Effective Maintenance Tips for Water Heaters. We hope these will help you to keep your water heater free of issues and prolong the lifespan at the same time. So, let’s get started!

1. Adjust Temperature

The very first thing you need to do is- adjusting the temperature of your new water heater to the changes of season. It is so obvious that you will not need the water to be same hot around the year. Again, you can save energy cost and minimize the risk of scalding by adjusting the thermostat. By lowering 10 degrees, you can save up to 5% of energy.

2. Check TPR Valve

TPR valve is usually located on the side or top of the water heater tank. TPR valve helps to release the added pressure. Turn off the power supply and cold water supply valve as well, place a medium sized bucket under TPR valve pipe. Check if the TPR valve is working properly by lifting the TPR valve’s tap.

3. Inspect Anode Rod

You need to inspect the Anode Rod at least once in a year after two or three years of installation. With time, the metal coating on the anode rod corrodes and damages at a certain point. If you find the anode rod less than half inch thick, do not delay to replace it.

4. Clean the Tank

To get rid of sediment build up, cleaning the tank is second to none. You need to flush the tank at least once in a year to prevent sediment buildup in the water heater tank. Cleaning does not require much effort, but it helps largely to keep your water heater working efficiently throughout the year.

5. Insulate the Pipes

By insulating the cold as well as hot water pipes of your water heater, you can easily get rid of condensation. For this, you need to purchase some self-sticking foam pipe insulation about 3/8 inch thick according to the diameter of the pipes. Now, cover the cold and hot water pipes as long as you can reach.

6. Insulate the Entire Heater

It might sound funny but believe me, it works! What you just need is to wrap the entire heater with an insulating blanket. While insulating, do not forget to make holes to fit the pipes around the heater, TPR valve, temperature control area, etc. When you are done, ensure that you have taped the edges securely.

7. Call a Professional:

It is so natural that you will not be able to detect complicated issues and troubleshoot them by yourself. If you ever face such a situation, do not hesitate to call a professional plumber. We know, it will cost you a few bucks, but it is always the better idea to have a certified plumber to inspect and troubleshoot serious issues. We hope you understand what we mean to say!