Homeowners are responsible for the care and maintenance of the appliances and systems in their homes. Though your HVAC system is by far the most expensive and the largest system in your home that requires ongoing maintenance, your hot water heater is more often than not, used just as much as your HVAC system.
Many people tend to overlook the important role that a water heater plays in the household. An appliance surely taken grave advantage of by most family members, simply because they fail to recognize the role it plays in providing them with the hot water they so often use. Much like any other appliance in your home, your hot water heater requires specialized care and maintenance. Routine maintenance is necessary in order for the water heater to be fully functional and energy efficient as well.
In addition, when you engage in proper routine maintenance of your hot water heater you extend its longevity and lifespan as well as enhance its overall energy efficiency. Routine maintenance of your heater can be somewhat simple with many of the tasks easily performed by homeowners themselves. Starting with a simple visual inspection, homeowners should be on the lookout for small amounts of water on the floor around the heater, or rust that may appear at the base of the tank. If either is present, it’s time to reach out to the expert techs here at Steve Mull Plumbing.
Next up, it is critical to perform an annual inspection of the T&P valve on your hot water heater. To perform this inspection, simply place a small container under the discharge valve that flows toward the base of the tank. Lift up the lever and open the valve. The hot water will begin to pass through the discharge tube and find its way into the container below. Release the lever to shut off the water. Take note of any valve leaks and whether or not the water properly shut off. If issues are present, then it’s time to call in our professionals to replace your T&P valve.
The next simple routine task to perform is that of checking your water temperature. The temperature should be 120 degrees, which provides sufficient heat and energy efficiency at the same time. Once you have confirmed the water temperature, the next task is that of performing a flush of your heater. Again, you want to place your small container under the drain valve located near to the bottom of the heater. Open the drain valve, allow a couple gallons of water to flow into the container, and then quickly close the valve. Inspect the water to ensure that it is not cloudy or murky. If it does appear murky, then a complete flush of your hot water heater is necessary and can be performed by our highly skilled plumbers here at Steve Mull Plumbing. Just give a shout out to our staff and arrange for one of our plumbers to come out and flush your heater and, if necessary, identify any problems and provide you with effective solutions.
Owning a home is certainly an enormous challenge and responsibility as is ensuring the proper functionality of all your appliances and systems. With that said, if you are like many homeowners who are not comfortable to perform your own plumbing inspections or repairs, then look no further than the professionals here at Steve Mull Plumbing. Our team is on hand to handle your every need and looks forward to providing you with all your plumbing products, services and repair needs!
