Sunday, September 22, 2013

Tips In Maintaining Your Water Heater

By Brian Winters


To keep your water heater in good condition, performing regular maintenance is needed. It is definitely worth your time since you won't be dealing with heater issues in the long run. If you are not comfortable in maintaining your unit without professional help, contact a specialist immediately.

Avoid unfortunate accidents by closing the power or gas supply of the unit. Always take safety precautions since a water heater can pose serious dangers if not handled properly. Inform everyone around the house not to use the unit during the maintenance period and wipe water puddles as soon as you notice them.

You can start by checking your pipes and look for signs of leaks. It is easy for water to leak if these plumbing connections aren't tightened properly. Wrap a Teflon tape around the threading and use a wrench to tighten the fittings. For badly damaged pipes, replace them immediately.

Your water heater comes with a relief valve that is responsible for protecting your tank from over pressurizing or blowing up. This valve releases excessive pressure inside, especially if you have a high temperature. Adjust the thermostat settings to prevent pressure from building up. To stop the relief valve from leaking, simply replace it with a new one.

Do not let your water rust and smell bad by draining and flushing the tank on a semi-annual basis. Doing this allows the sediments to exit the tank, preventing them from developing and affecting your water quality. Make sure the other end of the hose is located in a secure drainage to avoid scalding burns.

Keeping the anode rod in tip-top shape also prevents hard water minerals from building up. This sacrificial rod is responsible for absorbing all charged water molecules inside the tank as it protects the tank lining from corroding. You may have to replace it as soon as you see metal wiring around it.

If you keep on having cold water running out of your hot water taps, it is safe to assume that your dip tube has completely deteriorated. This tube directs cold water right down to the burner for proper heating. If the dip tube gets rusty, cold water can hit the hot water pipes without being heated. Replacing the dip tube will solve this problem.

Do not attempt to repair and maintain your heater without having the right tools and knowledge in doing so. Most homeowners commit this mistake, thinking this would lead to great savings. However, doing this would only result in costly water heater repairs as improper handling causes problems to escalate.




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