Avoid Cold Showers: Four Tips for Water Heater Maintenance

No one enjoys a cold shower first thing in the morning, but if your water heater suddenly breaks down and you’re unaware, that exactly what could happen. Of course even if you aren’t afraid of a little cold water, sometimes a malfunctioning water heater has the opposite problem; you could be standing in the shower when suddenly you’re being pelted with scalding drops of water. And in the worst case scenario, your water heater could even explode if it’s not functioning properly.

Most homeowners choose not to even think about their water heater until they end up in that uncomfortably cold or blistering hot shower, but this never has to happen to you if you follow this simple checklist for preventative maintenance on your water heater.

Here are four things every homeowner should be doing to keep their water heater in good working order:

1. Have a water heater specialist in a couple of times per year to check your unit and clean it out if necessary. What most homeowners don’t realize is the fact that a lot of debris and dirt tends to end up inside their water heater. Whenever water gets pumped into the tank, sediment, added minerals, and other extra “bonuses” in your water supply settle all the way at the bottom. These little extras have a significant impact on the efficiency of the unit, forcing it to work harder than it should have to and also creating rust inside your tank. That rust will eat away gradually until you need to replace the entire water heater, which is very costly. However, having a technician clean it out regularly is a very cheap and easy way to prevent this problem.

2. Do regular visual inspections of the outside of the unit on your own. While there is some level of protection against rust on the inside of the unit, there is not much protection against it on the outside, so you should regularly inspect the outside of the unit and look for leaks. Rust on the outside of the tank is just as bad as rust on the inside. As a homeowner, you can’t do much about internal rust except have regular professional inspections, but if there’s rust on the outside, you’ll be able to see it.

3. Keep a carbon monoxide alarm next to the water heater and check and replace the batteries regularly. Carbon monoxide gas is colorless and odorless, so if it’s being released into your home by your water heater, the only way you will be aware of it is if you have an alarm to warn you. If the unit is not venting correctly for some reason, the alarm will go off to alert you that your home is filling up with this deadly gas.

4. Check the temperature of the water regularly with a cooking thermometer. If you’ve had the water heater for any length of time, you probably know where the temperature should be for optimum comfort for your family. If you notice suddenly that you need to turn the heat up because the water is not as hot as it used to be, then this is a sign that something inside the unit is failing and it’s time to call a water heater technician.

Most water heaters are rated to last somewhere between six and 12 years, but if you follow this preventative maintenance list, don’t be surprised if you are able to make your unit last longer.

Spring Home HVAC is a trusted Toronto water heater repair and installation company. Let them help you beat the “average” life span of your water heater.