How to Maintain Your Water Heater: 5 Maintenance Tips to Maximize Lifespan

You count on your water heater every day to lead a comfortable, convenient, and clean lifestyle. And in a sense, your water heater counts on you. Like any other piece of equipment around your home, these appliances require maintenance to ensure their reliable, efficient performance.

Why Water Heater Maintenance Matters

Regular maintenance ensures that your water heater delivers effective and dependable performance. It helps reduce energy consumption and avoid failures due to sediment, corrosion, and other issues.

Furthermore, professional maintenance ensures that any issues with your water heater are identified and dealt with early, thereby preventing them from developing into more serious problems that could require expensive repairs or a replacement water heater altogether.

5 Water Heater Maintenance Tips to Maximize Lifespan

With the reasons for water heater maintenance clear, below are some of the most important elements of the process itself:

1. Flushing the Tank to Remove Sediment
2. Testing the Pressure Relief Valve
3. Inspecting and Replacing the Anode Rod
4. Adjusting Temperature Settings
5. Scheduling Annual Inspections

Flushing the Tank to Remove Sediment

Sediment and mineral deposits are among the most prominent threats to your water heater. Drinking water contains a variety of minerals and small particles that, while harmless to you, can accumulate at the bottom of the tank. As sedimentation progresses, it can come into contact with the heating element and impact the device’s performance. It can even cause serious issues such as overheating that lead to lasting damage.

Tank flushing removes that buildup before it can cause any problems. Areas with hard water can experience sediment buildup more quickly, though, so you may need to perform more frequent flushes depending on your local water quality. Letting professionals handle flushing ensures a thorough and safe process

Testing the Pressure Relief Valve

The pressure relief valve is a key safety component for any water heater tank. It prevents dangerous pressure buildups by releasing excess water when pressure passes a certain threshold. That can save your tank and prevent potentially deadly explosions.

A faulty pressure relief valve is, therefore, a serious safety risk, as it could lead to tank ruptures. You’re more likely to face minor issues such as leaks, but the potential dangers can’t be overlooked, which is why testing the pressure relief valve is an essential maintenance step. Having a professional service your water heater annually will include testing the pressure relief valve, which involves releasing a small amount of water to ensure proper function, as well as an inspection for corrosion or damage to seals.

Inspecting and Replacing the Anode Rod

Corrosion can quickly lead to the need for a water heater tank replacement. However, tank designers have cleverly accounted for that: Your water heater tank contains an anode rod made out of a different metal that stops the tank itself from corroding. The electrochemical properties of the anode rod mean that it will corrode before the tank.

However, the result is that the process will consume the anode rod, meaning it must be replaced. Leaving your tank without an anode rod will lead to rapid corrosion. Professionals can check the anode rod to determine whether it needs replacement and install a new one as needed. It’s a straightforward maintenance step that will make a major difference in the longevity of your water heater.

Adjusting Temperature Settings

Water heater temperature settings typically range between 120°F and 160°F. If you’ve never adjusted the temperature, then it could still be at a factory default that may not be appropriate for your needs.

High temperatures may be what some people prefer, but it’s important to note that those temperatures are mixed with cold water anyway. Starting from a lower temperature can help extend the life of your system because it has to work less to maintain that setting. Lower temperatures also mean that your home requires less energy to heat its water, leading to reduced utility bills. You can mention this to a professional during an annual tune-up, and they can make the adjustment with ease.

Scheduling Annual Inspections

Attempting water heater maintenance on your own typically isn’t the best course of action. You’re putting yourself at serious risk if you don’t have the know-how to handle water heaters safely, as they are filled with scalding water and shouldn’t be tampered with.

Instead of waiting for something to go wrong and only reaching out when your hot water goes out completely, proactive maintenance can save you a lot of trouble. Scheduling an annual inspection from a professional is the easiest way to handle all maintenance requirements. You can rest easy and enjoy your hot water, knowing that the technician will check all the boxes when it comes to safety, performance, and efficiency.

Get Proactive About Water Heater Maintenance

You can make the most of your home’s water tank by committing to regular maintenance. You’ll enjoy reliable hot water, energy savings, improved safety, and a longer-lasting water heater. If you haven’t been keeping up with annual service, it’s in your best interests to schedule a visit from a professional as soon as possible.

Warming our local community since 2000, Atlantic Fuels takes immense pride in being a trusted provider of oil and propane delivery & HVAC services in Southern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire. If you need annual maintenance on your water heater, give us a call at (603) 964-6967 or drop us a line.