Your water heater is one of the most 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 on your home heating as well as costs.
Regular flushing of your water heater has become single most important step you can take to prolong its service life and even save energy. During 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 just destructive to the tank, but highly inefficient and will significantly raise your heating costs.
In most areas of the country, the standard water heater lasts 3-5 years. Regularly flushing your water heater can double the life of your water heater from 3-5 to 7-10 years. Device costs of replacement running from $700 to over $1200 in some cases, getting the most from your heater is in today’s economy. In addition, regular flushing makes your 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 nights.
To drain your water heater, first you should set the thermostat to pilot (if it is a gas water heater) or turn the circuit breaker off (if it is actually electric heater). Failure to do so could result in overheating and severe damage to drinking water heater. Next, close the water supply valve located on a water inlet line going into your water heater. After backing up connect a garden hose to the drain valve located in the bottoom of the hot water heater. Open the drain and allow it to function until all for the water has emptied from the air conditioner. Then close the drain. Open the water supply valve and refill the heating. You should also open a hot water faucet somewhere inside and stand there and watch it run for several minutes until the flows out smoothly. This will allow air to vent inside heater and the water lines. Finally, you can turn the thermostat in order 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 is certainly less corrosive to your plumbing system, particularly in areas possess hard water. For more ways to care for and protect your home plumbing system, contact a licensed, professional plumbing contractor in location to discuss options and products to be fitting.
Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical
The Woodlands, TX
(281) 528-1610