Your hot water heater system is indispensable in every home, especially in colder seasons. There is rarely any situation more inconvenient than having just cold water unexpectedly gushing down from the shower. Because water heaters are robust, homeowners tend to ignore paying attention to maintenance needs. It will take 8 to 10 years to replace your water heater by design. Among hot water heater types, a tankless water heater typically lasts longer than a tank water heater. By following the tips we share in this article, you can extend your water heater lifespan beyond its expected life expectancy, regardless if you have tank water heaters or tankless water heaters.
Tips to Extend Your Water Heater’s Lifespan
These water heater maintenance tips apply to most water heaters, whether gas water heaters, tankless water heaters, or electric water heaters. Issues like a water heater leaking, a broken heating element, failure to heat water, or sediment buildup are typical signs that your water heater needs attention. To prevent untimely water heater replacement, here are helpful tips to extend your water heater lifespan:
- Book Regular Maintenance Checks
The best way to extend the life expectancy of your hot water heater systems is to book regular maintenance checks with your plumbing service Chandler Az, or with a dependable local plumber near your location. They will check your existing water heater joints for leakage and gaps and the water heater tank for cracks. A tankless gas water heater may include the heating system, gas lines, and other specifics that ensure your hot water system works properly. If you choose to do this task yourself, you will still require a professional plumber for help once you detect issues, such as a leaking water heater, or a crack on the water tank surface. These issues may require water heater tank replacement to ensure the safety of your home.
- Do Regular Water Flushing
When you notice rusty water from your faucet, you may need to flush your water tank immediately. Moreover, if your water supply doesn’t go through a water softener, expect naturally occurring mineral deposits, such as calcium and magnesium, to settle in your water heater and affect the efficiency of heating water. You may call a professional plumber to help you conduct flushing. However, if you want to do it yourself, you must ensure that you do it safely. Ignoring essential steps, such as turning on the pressure relief valve to let air escape when filling your tank, won’t allow the unit to operate properly.
- Check for Strange Noises or Smells
Strange noises and odors are sure signs of something wrong with your water heater. In the case of an electric water heater, you might likely hear loud noise originating from pipes once you run your heat water. In the case of a gas water heater, you might smell gas or something burning, indicating something has clogged your drain hose. Once you encounter these signs, call a journeyman plumber immediately.
- Check the Anode Rod
The anode rod is a device installed in all water heaters to help prevent rust from setting in. However, since the anode rod attracts corrosion, you need to ensure that it is not fully corroded. Otherwise, the anode rod won’t work correctly and will result in rust attacking your water tank. The typical life expectancy of an anode rod is 3 to 5 years. However, it is helpful to include checking it during annual maintenance checks. This action is beneficial for taking care of most tank water heaters.
- Adding an Expansion Tank
Constant changes in the temperature in hot water heaters place a high-stress level on the entire system, making them wear out faster than they should. One of the most effective solutions to prevent this is to add an expansion tank. Expansion tanks are effective in closed systems to prevent backflow into the water main.
- Install a Water Softener
Though flushing your water tank can help extend the lifespan of your water heater system, installing a water softener can help spare your water heater system from frequent water heater repair. If your water supply is rich in calcium and magnesium, you can prevent sediment deposits from affecting the efficiency of your water heater and compromising its lifespan.
Benefits of Extending The Lifespan of Your Water Heater
With the current water heater installation costs, extending the lifespan of your existing water heater can spare you several thousands of dollars. Moreover, you can spare yourself the inconvenience of having cold showers as the water heater nears its useful life. Not only can these tips extend the lifespan of your water heater, but they can also help save on power costs because these tips also help keep water heaters performing efficiently. Once you follow these tips, you can enjoy optimum performance levels from your water heater beyond its average lifespan.
Takeaways: For Water Heater Leaks and Regular Maintenance: Call a Dependable Plumber
If you have issues with your water heater, you can rely on our local plumbing services to solve them. Whether you need regular maintenance, hot water system installation, emergency repair work, or to replace a water heater, you can call us at (480) 649-4400. You may book our services online by completing the custom request once you click this link. To address stubborn clogs, we also offer other plumbing services, such as most residential plumbing work and hydro jetting among others. Whether you have low water pressure in kitchen sink, or sewer backlogs, we are the best professional plumbers for the job.
