Your water heater works hard every day to keep hot water flowing for showers, laundry, dishes, and more. Because it’s one of the most used appliances in your home (and one of the more expensive to replace) taking a few simple steps to maintain it can help you avoid premature failure and costly replacements.
Why Water Heater Maintenance Matters
Over time, sediment and mineral buildup inside your water heater tank can reduce efficiency and strain internal components. This can not only increase your energy bills, but also shorten the life of your system. Regular care keeps your heater operating efficiently and helps you get years of reliable service.
How to Extend the Life of Your Hot Water Heater
Draining your hot water tank is a straight forward way to get rid of built-up sediment and debris that can damage your water heater. Sediment and debris can reduce your water heater’s efficiency or even build up to the point of complete failure of the water heater’s components or the tank itself. I have heard of people doing this twice a year, but I feel like doing it once a year is typically good for most people. Scale build-up can reduce the water heater's overall efficiency by 50%.
In addition to this, I recommend installing a ScaleRX valve that will eliminate up to 76% of scale deposits, reducing the amount of build-up that occurs and ensuring that you water heater will last longer. ScaleRX also works with tankless water heaters, where using this type of product is even more critical in ensuring that the water heater is able to function properly for 20 or more years.
Finally, I like to check the pressure-relief valve by lifting the lever on the valve to ensure that water comes out of the discharge pipe. If it does not discharge water, this valve needs to be replaced. The pressure-relief valve serves an important safety function for your water heater by ensuring that if the pressure in your tank reaches dangerous levels, the tank can safely discharge water, relieving the pressure. This will prevent potential tragedies and should be done on a semi-regular basis.
Final Thoughts
Simple, regular maintenance goes a long way toward extending the life of your water heater and improving its efficiency. By flushing sediment, checking key components like the anode rod and T&P valve, and keeping your system set to a reasonable temperature, you can reduce energy costs and delay costly repairs or replacements. With proper care, your water heater can serve your household longer and more reliably. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us.
