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Water Heater Maintenance

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Melbourne Plumber

Plumbing is one of those modern day marvels that we’ve all gotten accustomed to. When it works, it works beautifully giving us hot water for showers, water on demand for washing clothes, and even water to take away human waste. But when something goes wrong, it can seem to turn our world upside down until we get it fixed. Take for example the shower. Most people shower daily and can’t imagine going a day without one. But how fun is it to take a shower with cold water? Not too many people would rank it very high. The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen to you is to keep your water heater in good shape by having it routinely maintained.

Over time, small dirt particles can enter the water tank; this is normal. When these small particles of dirt get into the water heater they eventually sink to the bottom where they stay until they are removed. Although they don’t really cause you any harm when you’re showering, they can cause damage to your water bill. It takes much more electricity to heat up this sediment than it does to heat up just water. When the sediment is removed, the hot water heater can regulate the temperature of the water the way it was meant to, resulting in a lower electricity bill. A good plumber can come to your home, drain your water heater and make sure it’s working just like it should.

Another issue with water heaters is when they leak. A little condensation is normal, but a pool of water underneath the tank isn’t normal. If you notice this, you should call a plumber immediately so he can find the leak and get it fixed right away. After fixing the leak he can inspect the tank and make sure there aren’t any other issues with it.

Although water heaters are meant to last anywhere from eight to 12 years, they can have a much shorter life span when they aren’t properly maintained. Part of their life span also depends on quality of the heater, how frequently it’s used, design factors, and if it was installed properly to begin with. It’s good to drain the tank yearly to help keep it working properly.

If you’re not sure how to drain the water heater tank or you suspect it isn’t functioning as good as it should be, give you local Master Plumber a call to find out what exactly is wrong with it. If the plumber suggests you are in need of a new tank, you can either buy one and pay him to install it or you can request he buy the right model for your home and family size and then he can install it. If you choose the second way, make sure you are working with an honest and reliable plumber who won’t charge you a lot extra for the convenience of him picking up the water heater for you.

With a little maintenance and calling a plumber when you suspect something is wrong, you can save yourself time and money. Not to mention, you’ll never have to suffer taking a cold shower.