How to Maximize the Life of Your Water Heater

Your water heater’s one of those home appliances that help your life be comfortable. So, you want to make sure that it’s lasting as long as possible. The good news is that there are things you can do to help your water heater lasts as long as possible. Below are four tips that you can use to help keep it working the way it should.

1. Perform Maintenance Checks

Perming maintenance checks regularly to look at the water heater and see if there’s any sign of damage or leaking is a good place to start. check your joints for any water leakage or gaps and its body for cracks.

You want to make sure that you are acting on the leaks that are found immediately since small leaks can cause flooding and damage. It can be as simple as tightening up your pipes. It also could be that you have a damaged part or pipe that needs to be completely replaced. If you have a cracked tank, you’ll need to replace the whole heater. Doing regular maintenance will help you know quickly.

2. Test Your Pressure Relief Valve

This valve is a safety check that’s built into the water heater. It will release pressure automatically when the pressure inside your tank’s too high so that an explosion is prevented. That’s why you want to test it regularly to make sure it’s functioning properly.

To do this important test, simply lift its lever. This is found on your water heater’s top or side. If there isn’t any water coming out of the pipe when you’ve lifted it, you’ll have to replace your valve.

3. Flush Your Tank

Once or twice a year, you want to drain a couple of gallons from the water heater into your bucket so that you can examine it. If the water is full of debris and dirt, you should completely clean your water heater.

When debris builds up in your tank, it can cut down its efficiency significantly. It also can cause you to have higher energy bills. Some newer models are self-cleaning, and they will remove the sediment automatically. However, it’s still a good idea to flush out your tank every year or two.

Contrary to some of the information you’ll find online, it’s also necessary to flush tankless water heaters, though the process is a little different. Be sure to look up the recommended flushing cycle for your unique model of the water heater.

4. Soften Your Water

If you have a problem in your area with hard water, water softener installation may be a good idea. Since hard water has a lot of minerals in it, this can reduce its lifespan since it will leave deposits in your water tank. Therefore, water softener installation can help you with reducing mineral buildup and helping your water heater to last longer.

These are just a few things that you can do to help extend the life of your water heater. Keep in mind that new water heaters can be expensive, so doing all you can to extend your water heater’s life will save you time and money in the long run. Use these tips above to help you get started.