One of the best tips you can do for the plumbing system in your home is routine maintenance. Now maintenance does not have to be hard and in this first article I’ll talk with you and discuss some of the common tips you can do yourself to keep your plumbing system up and running.

Water Heaters

These guys are literally taking a little abuse while you don’t even see it. The continual expansion and contraction of the fluids tank can be the primary factor why heaters fail. Don’t let this alarm you though. By maintaining your boiler you can almost double the life whatever the heater in lots of cases.

Flush your water tank at the very least once every year (Twice a year is definitely recommended) to get rid of sediment build up. Sediment causes the burner situated on the heater to work overtime more than it needs to. To do this FIRST SHUT OFF THE GAS VALVE. Then use a garden hose and hook it up to the hose bib on the bottom of water heater.

Run the hose to the floor drain nearby. Shut the valve situated on the cold water side of the heater. Now turn on the valve in which you hooked the hose up. Let the fluids in the tank drain. To speed up the draining process open the relief valve on the side of the heater by pulling up on the lever, this will act as a vent and allow the heater to drain faster.

Once the Water Heater looks like it has drained close the relief valve (if you opened it) turn on the cold water valve for 15 seconds while the bottom valve is still open. After 15 seconds close the cold water valve and let the heater drain. This can get rid of any remaining sediment on the lower end of the tank.

Tank is now flushed Close the bottom valve and the relief valve. Turn on the cold water valve and let the heater refill before relighting the pilot. In some case you might experience low pressure at some of the faucets. This is caused by sediment in the lines. Remove the aerator whatever the clogged faucet and clean it out.

Just Do It!

It is easy to forget about your water heater. It sits in a water closet or in your garage silently and reliably making hot water. It’s easy to forget about it until something goes wrong. Water heaters are not as maintenance free as some of us want to believe.

Settings

To lower the stress on your hot water tank and to lower your utility bills, set your thermostat at around 120 degrees. Any higher than that and you put extra pressure on the heater and take the chance of getting burned by scalding water. Many people outgrow their water heater and turn up the thermostat to provide more hot water. Instead of adjusting the temperature, just add a second heater or upgrade to a larger tank.

Another thing you can do is place a drain pan under the tank.In case of a leak, it will keep your floor from getting too wet. Check the drain to make sure it is not clogged.

You might also get a water heater jacket to put around your tank. It will help with heat loss through the tank. While you are at it, insulate any exposed hot water pipes. Before doing this insulating, check with the manufacturer of your heater to check whether they approve of this or not.

By putting these basic steps into effect, you’ll be able to extend the life of your water heater and improve its efficiency. By remembering these few tips about your water heater, you’ll be able to avoid lots of aggravation and extend the heaters life span.

Service

If something comes up that feel you can’t handle then we suggest you call a professional local water heater service company.  Usually it’s best to do that when nit’s time to when you need to replace the old one. They typically last 10 to 15 years depending on how well you maintain it.

Look through our site for information on tankless water heaters VS a traditional hot water tank. You might decide to upgrade to the tankless type, depending on your needs.