Why Water Heater Maintenance is Important

As homeowners put together their spring cleaning checklists this year, one item they should include is water heater maintenance. Maintaining the water heater is essential to keep it running safely and efficiently, so homeowners should regularly schedule maintenance with a qualified plumber. This article will explain what water heater maintenance entails, its benefits, and why it should be at the top of every homeowner’s spring cleaning list!

Why Do Water Heaters Need to Be Flushed?

Draining and flushing a water heater is an essential step of water heater maintenance that helps ensure safe and efficient operation. As water enters the tank to get heated, corrosive minerals and sediments come in with it. Sediment in a water heater is bad news for multiple reasons. 

Over time, sediment and mineral buildup can occur inside the tank, which reduces the water heater's energy efficiency and can lead to corrosion. Flushing the tank helps to remove this buildup, allowing for better, more efficient performance, lowering energy bills, preventing corrosion in the tank, and extending the life of the water heater. 

Other Vital Water Heater Maintenance Tasks

As crucial as it is to drain and flush a water heater regularly, numerous other maintenance tasks are performed during a maintenance visit. One such task is inspecting and replacing the anode rod. An anode rod is a metal cylinder in the hot water tank that attracts corrosive materials from the water. These corrosive materials eat away at the anode rod, preventing tank corrosion. During maintenance, it must be checked, and it will need to be replaced once depleted to continue preventing damage to the water heater. 

Other important maintenance tasks include testing valves and safety devices (and replacing them if necessary), cleaning gas burners, inspecting electrical components, and checking for damage like leaks and corrosion. Maintenance should only be performed by a licensed professional to prevent voiding the warranty and causing damage to the water heater.

Benefits of Routine Maintenance

Having a professional perform routine maintenance on a water heater has several benefits. For one, it will help extend the water heater's lifespan and help prevent surprise repairs, as many issues can be prevented or caught early during maintenance. This can help save homeowners money on costly repairs and early replacements. 

Water heater maintenance will also help improve the energy efficiency and overall performance of a water heater by keeping every component working as smoothly as possible and addressing minor issues before they can interfere with the unit’s operation. The energy-efficient operation of a water heater will also help homeowners save on their utility bills. These benefits apply to both conventional, storage water heaters and tankless water heaters, so save money and headaches by hiring a pro to tackle maintenance this spring!

About Laney’s Inc.

Laney’s Inc. is a plumbing and HVAC company with over six decades of experience serving Fargo and the surrounding areas. They provide competitive pricing, honest advice, and free second opinions. Call them today for water heater services in Fargo, ND.

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