Your water heater is one rather used and more expensive appliances in your home, and consumes a large associated with your energy dollars each month. And experts say regular care and maintenance is essential to protecting your investment and saving on your home heating and costs.
Regular flushing of one’s water heater is considered the single most important step you get to prolong its service life and to save energy. For time, sediments mount up in the bottom of your hot 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 merely destructive to the tank, but highly inefficient and will significantly raise your heating costs.
In most areas of the country, the typical water heater lasts 3-5 years. Regularly flushing your water heater can double existence of your hot water heater from 3-5 to 7-10 years. Are investigating 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 weather. In addition, regular flushing makes your hot water heater run more efficiently and can cut heating costs fifty percent. Depending on the volume of drinking water your home uses, that can mean a savings of $20 to over $50 a month or so.
To drain your water heater, initially you should set the thermostat to pilot (if it is a gas water heater) or turn the circuit breaker off (if it is definitely an electric heater). Failure to do so could result in overheating and severe damage to the heater. Next, close the water supply valve located in the water inlet line going into your water heater. After backing up connect a garden hose to the drain valve located at the bottom of the heater. Open the drain and allow it to run until all of the water has emptied from the air conditioner. Then close the drain. Open the water supply valve and refill the central heater. You should also open a hot water faucet somewhere inside the house and stand there and watch it run for several minutes until water flows out quietly. This will allow air to vent off 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 home to filter or condition the water so is certainly less corrosive to your plumbing system, particularly in areas which have hard stream. For more ways to care for and protect your home plumbing system, contact a licensed, professional plumbing contractor in place to discuss options and merchandise to suit your needs.
Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical
The Woodlands, TX
(281) 528-1610