How to Extend the Life of Your Water Heater

From showers and dishwashing to laundry and even washing your hands, your water heater is an essential appliance that ensures you always have hot water on hand. Like any many other appliances in your home, it’s possible to protect and extend its lifespan with proper care.

Here are seven tips that help you extend the life of your water heater!

1. Regular Maintenance

Routine yearly maintenance is vital to protecting your water heater’s lifespan. It can help identify potential problems and address them before they turn into costly repairs or replacements. Have your water heater inspected and components cleaned once a year.

2. Consider Insulating

Insulating your water heater and surrounding pipes can improve efficiency while reducing energy costs. Insulation is especially beneficial in colder climates where heat loss can be significant. Consider using a water heater insulation blanket to protect the heater itself, and look into ways you can insulate the specific pipe setup you have.

3. Flush the Tank

Do you know what one of the most common issues in water heaters is? Sediment buildup, especially if you’re dealing with hard water. Over time, debris and minerals accumulate at the bottom of your heater, reducing its efficiency and causing corrosion. Once a year, contact a professional, like the team here at The Williams Water Company, to have the tank flushed clean.

4. Inspect the Anode Rod

Speaking of sediment buildup and corrosion, checking and replacing the anode rod in your water heater is a great way to help extend its lifespan. The anode rod is a vital component of your heater, as it attracts corrosive water elements to the rod instead of the tank itself. Rods should be inspected every two or three years and replaced if heavy corrosion is visible.

5. Install a Water Softener

Dealing with hard water significantly strains your water heater, as hard water has an especially high mineral content. That mineral content can mean sediment builds up much more quickly than in areas without hard water, but installing a water softener can combat that buildup.

6. Maintain an Appropriate Temperature

140 degrees Fahrenheit is a standard temperature default setting for many water heaters, but to protect against scalding, 120 degrees is typically the recommended temperature. In that setting, the water is hot enough to prevent the growth of bacteria but not so hot that it could cause scalding or unnecessarily increase wear on the heater.

7. Promptly Address Leaks

If left unaddressed, even the smallest of leaks could lead to a major problem. By inspecting the heater and surrounding area for signs of leaks, like small pools of water, you can have a professional address the issue at the first sign of a problem.

Extend the Life of Your Water Heater With Help From The Williams Water Co.

Follow these tips to help protect your water heater’s lifespan daily, and team up with our water heater experts when it comes time for more extensive repairs or yearly maintenance. We look forward to providing you with hot water and peace of mind, so don’t hesitate to contact us today!