Maintenance Extends Your Water Heater’s Life

Oh water heater, dear water heater, how we love thee…let us count the ways.

Kind of corny, we know, but at its essence it is so true. We love the convenience that our water heater provides for us: hot water on demand for our showers, washing machines, dishwashers etc.. One thing is for sure, when it stops working – or even worse, starts leaking – we are quick to notice. Like all things mechanical, maintaining the water heater will help extend its lifespan and will also help prevent potentially catastrophic water damage to your home. Masters Heating & Cooling, Inc. has four decades worth of experience installing and servicing water heaters and we want our customers to know the best practices for maintaining this valuable home appliance.

How To Extend Water Heater Life Expectancy

Most water heaters can last between eight and 12 years. To get the longest life expectancy from yours, regular maintenance is required. Some of the following can be done yourself, while other maintenance should be performed by a licensed professional.

1. Drain & Flush. A water heater should be drained annually and flushed. This will clean out dirt, debris and other chemicals – like calcium – which will build up in the tank. Over time, this will cause your water heater to work harder and also deteriorate the tank. And when the tank goes, the heater has to be replaced.
2. Check the drain and temperature relief valves. Sometimes, small leaks from these valves can be stopped by simply targeting the valves.
3. Adjust the thermostat. Set the thermostat temperature to 120 degrees; any hotter will make the heater work harder than it has to. When you leave town, set the thermostat on a lower, vacation-mode setting.
4. Anode rod inspection . This filtering component of the heater should be inspected for calcium buildup and wear and tear.

Water Heater Replacement

The afore-mentioned maintenance tips will help prolong the life of your heater, but eventually replacement will become imminent. Some signs your water heater is at the end of the line include:

• Insufficient hot water. Older or malfunctioning water heaters have trouble heating up enough water.
• Rumbling noises. This is a sure sign of a sediment buildup in the tank, which will damage the tank and cause a leak.
• Rusty water . Another sign of a deteriorating tank.
• Leaks. Any leak around a water heater is bad news and should be checked out by a service professional immediately.

Masters Gets There Faster

No one wants to come home and find their water heater is leaking. This can potentially result in devastating water damage to your home, so be proactive. Call Masters today for a water inspection/flush. And, if your water heater needs to be replaced, take comfort in knowing that we are masters at water heater installation, offering top of the line A.O. Smith heaters.