As a few more cold winter months approach, having a water heater that works properly is crucial to keeping you comfortable until warmer weather rolls around. Making sure your water heater is regularly drained, working efficiently, and up-to-date with new water heater regulations is important for protecting your house and family.
Here are the major must do’s you need to know as a homeowner:
Consider switching to a tankless water heater
Switching to a tankless water heater is beneficial for several reasons. As mentioned in a previous blog, tankless water heaters improve comfort, cost, and efficiency.
It says, “A well designed and a well-installed tankless water heater can provide you with constant hot water and lower your monthly energy bills. No longer will you have to wait for your tank of standing water to heat up before you second shower can provide hot water. Instead, the water is heated up on demand. It’s a more efficient way of heating water without waste; therefore there is less cost.”
Although tankless water heaters have some disadvantages, additional advantages include longer lifespans, unlimited hot water, smaller units available, no standby heat loss, and better federal tax rebates.
Replace your water heater when it shows these signs
Over time and extended use, water heaters start to break down and need to be replaced. Check out the following signs to see if your water heater needs immediate attention:
- Loud or weird noises
- Temperature issues
- Check to see if the age is older than 10 years
- Poor water quality
- Puddles around the area
- Higher utility bills
These signs typically mean that your water heating is aging and needs to be replaced with a newer one. If your water heater matches any of these descriptions, contact Mike Wilson for installation services.
Follow the steps to drain your water heater
Draining your water heater annually to remove excessive sediment prolongs its life and durability. Follow the steps listed below to correctly drain it:
- Turn off the water supply
- Drain the hot water supply
- Flush remaining sediment
- Test the pressure-release valve
If you have any questions about this process or need assistance, don’t hesitate to reach out to Mike Wilson today.
Below are listed the critical don’ts when it comes to maintaining a water heater:
Install the wrong type of water heater
Believe it or not, there are four things to consider when choosing a water heater for your home. Based on this previous blog, these factors include:
Affordability – What type of water heater fits your budget? Tankless water heaters tend to be more expensive than tank water heaters but work much more efficiently.
Functionality – Depending on whether your house uses gas or not, a water heater can run off of an electric source or natural gas.
Capacity – How much hot water does your family need? Do people run out of hot water when taking showers?
Durability – How much do you care about better energy saving technology? A quality water heater will cost more initially but save money in the long-run.
Also, when picking a place to install the chosen water heater in your house, make sure to consider climate, input type, location of faucets, and ease of maintenance when picking a location in your house.
Settle for lukewarm water
No one likes taking a shower with lukewarm or cool water, so if you’re experiencing this issue, don’t settle for less. Three reasons your water heater isn’t producing hot water anymore include:
- Deterioration of the gas burner
- Blockage in gas line
- Lack of insulation
Call Mike Wilson if your water is lukewarm and you suspect that one of these reasons might be the culprit.
Fail to follow water heater regulations
From costs and water delivery to space, water regulations impact all homeowners. Check out a few of our related blogs to see how these regulations affect you.
Impacts of New Water Heater Regulations
Three Things to Prepare for with the New Water Heater Regulation
New Water Heater Regulations and How They Will Affect You
We hope this list of do’s and don’ts for successfully taking care of your water heater has been helpful! Again, reach out to us today with any of your plumbing needs – we’d love to chat.