How to Service a Water Heater

Water heaters are one of the forgotten workhorses of the home. We tend to forget about them and take our hot water for granted… until it stops working and we are left with a cold shower.

Here are 6 maintenance tips to keep your water heater functioning properly and get the best lifespan from it. Regular maintenance of your hot water heater is much easier on the wallet than water heater replacement, and easier on your peace of mind than no hot water when you need it.

6 Steps to Water Heater Maintenance

1. Check your TPR valve. The Temperate-Pressure Regulating valve is is a small valve on the side of your hot water tank near the top. It will have a pipe pointing straight down from it that is open on the bottom. The TPR valve is a safety valve that opens if the temperature, and therefore the pressure, gets too high. It will open and allow water pressure to release through the pipe pointing down.
   To check the TPR valve, simply raise the valve briefly and ensure that water flows out the drainpipe- place a bucket under the drainpipe first to catch the water. You should hear a gurgling sound as the valve allows some water to flow out, but the flow should quickly stop after release. If no water flows, or water doesn’t stop flowing, you’ll need to have the TPR valve replaced. While you’re at it, check for the flow of water out the drainpipe to ensure it can drain away or flow into a catch basin of some sort to avoid any water damage issues. Check your TPR valve every 6 months.
   
2. Check your anode rod. Water and metal together leads to corrosion. The anode rod of a water heater is a piece of metal in your hot water tank that will sacrificially rust before the heating element or other important metal parts. It is much easier and cheaper to change the anode rod as opposed to the components of the water heater or tank itself.
   Checking the anode rod is fairly simple but will require shutting off the power and at least partially draining your hot water tank. Then it is simply unscrewed and pulled out to visually check. If it is less than about ½ think, severely corroded, or covered in calcium, the anode rod should be changed.
   Check your anode rod at least annually, every 6 months is better especially if you have a water softener as this can shorten the anode rod lifespan.
   
3. While you’re at it, drain the tank completely and flush out sediment. Connect a hose to the drain outlet of the hot water tank and let all the water drain out. You can briefly turn the cold water supply back on to stir up any remaining sediment and allow it to flush out. Repeat until clear water runs out of the tank. Flush the tank annually.
   
4. Check and adjust the temperature of the water heater. You can expect to save 5% in energy costs for every 10 degrees decrease. But of course you need to have enough heat for all the uses in the home. Too hot can be dangerous and a waste of energy. Generally the ideal temp for a water heater in Harrisonburg is around 120 degrees. This should provide plenty of hot water efficiently.
   You can also turn down the temp to minimum if you plan to be gone more than a few days. 
   
5. Insulate your pipes. A simple task but very effective in preventing heat loss from the hot water pipes and can reduce condensation on the cold water pipes. Simply apply self stick pipe insulation as far as you can reach the pipes.
   
6. Insulate the water heater with a water heater insulation jacket or blanket. Insulating the pipes and hot water tank can provide 45 percent decrease in heat loss and reduce your water heating costs by 9 percent. Well worth the minimal effort and cost to insulate properly. Simply wrap the water tank with an insulating blanket such as R4.5 foil insulated bubble wrap. Making any cuts as necessary for protrusions. Seal edges with foil tape. Do not cover the top of a gas or oil water heater, but the top of an electric water heater tank can be covered with a round cutout.
   

There you have it. 6 steps to a well maintained water heater Harrisonburg. If you have any questions about these steps or how to perform them, feel free to give us a call and we’ll be happy to schedule a free consultation and quote for any water heater maintenance service. Remember, a properly maintained water heater will provide better service for a longer time at a cheaper cost with better efficiency. Call Absolute Water Heater Repair of Harrisonburg or fill out the contact form to schedule your water heater service.

When you need hot water, and you need it now, call Absolute Water Heater Repair of Harrisonburg VA.

Call (540) 202-1545

We offer a FREE consultation and estimate to give you the information you need. 
Serving all of Rockingham and Augusta County too! Call (540) 202-1545 or fill out the form and we'll get you back to having hot water in a jiffy!