Your water heater is one of the 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 from the home heating as well as costs.
Regular flushing of your water heater is among the single most important step you can take to prolong its service life in addition, it save energy. A duration of time, sediments strengthen 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 only destructive to the tank, but highly inefficient and will significantly raise your heating costs.
In most regions of the country, the typical water heater lasts 3-5 years. Regularly flushing your water heater can double living of your hot 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 out of your heater is a must in today’s economic condition. In addition, regular flushing makes your hot water heater run more efficiently and can cut heating costs fifty percent. Depending on the volume of warm water your home uses, that can mean a savings of $20 to over $50 a month or so.
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 electric heater). Failure to do so could result in overheating and severe damage to the actual heater. Next, close the water supply valve located more than a water inlet line going into your water heater. You can then connect a garden hose to the drain valve located at the bottom of the hot water heater. Open the drain and allow it to run until all on the water has emptied from the air conditioner. Then close the drain. Open the water supply valve and refill the heater. You should also open a hot water faucet somewhere indoors and stand there and watch it run for several minutes until the flows out quietly. This will allow air to vent because of the heater and the hot water lines. Finally, you can turn the thermostat back 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 to your property to filter or condition the water so may be less corrosive to your plumbing system, particularly in areas possess hard hot water. For more ways to care for and protect your home plumbing system, contact a licensed, professional plumbing contractor in place to discuss options and products to fit the bill.
Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical
The Woodlands, TX
(281) 528-1610