Water Heater Repair: Extending The Service Life Of Your Water Heater | Harvey, LA
You might have heard this a lot, but a water heater is essential for your Harvey, LA residential property. Therefore, noticing the warning signs that you should call an expert in water heater repair is vital. However, you should do more. Water heaters have different lifespans depending on your model of choice. For instance, tankless water heaters have durability of over 20 years, while conventional water heating units have a service life of between 10-15 years. However, the unit must be adequately cared for and maintained to attain such a service life.
Since water heaters are costly, it is best to leave nothing to chance on things that can extend the unit’s service life past the service life or reach its maximum service life. Fortunately, you can do several simple things to help the water heater attain its service life, as explained below.
Regular Maintenance Checks
Water heaters are usually tucked away and out of sight in most homes. However, out of sight and mind won’t do you any good if you want your water heater to have a longer service life. You should make a point of enlisting the help of a professional in water heater repair for monthly unit inspection. During the inspection visit, the plumber approaches the unit as a whole and then narrows it down to the individual components.
The professional will diagnose a problem like malfunctioning valves, corrosion damage signs, or even accumulation of mineral deposits. They will also check the water heating unit’s joints for gaps where water leaks can happen. Further, your plumber will inspect all the hoses to determine if they are intact and attached correctly. If the experienced repair professional detects any problem, they will promptly resolve it.
Flushing the Tank
How regularly do you check the quality of the water inside your water heater tank? If you don’t do it often, maybe you should. After every six months to one year, you should drain several gallons of hot water from the tank into a bucket. The water should be clear. Otherwise, if full of debris and dirt, seek the immediate help of a water heater repair expert to clean the tank. The debris and dirt within the tank reduce the effectiveness and efficiency of the water heater.
Consequently, they strain the unit on heating the water, resulting in high energy consumption. This means high energy utility bills at the end of the month. It may also make the unit wear out before reaching its maximum service life. Newer models of water heaters with self-cleaning features only need flushing every three years.
Install a Water Softener
Do you live in an area whose water has a high mineral content? That is called hard water and means doom for your water heater. Hard water can reduce the service life of your water heater in several ways. First, it accumulates at the bottom of the water, reducing the surface where the pressure settles. It can also accumulate around the heating element, reducing its heating efficiency. The mineral deposits from the hard water can also result in the corrosion of the water heater tank.
Enlist the help of a water heater repair expert to have a water softener installed at your Harvey, LA home if you have hard water. The unit uses ion exchange to remove the calcium and magnesium minerals from the hard water, softening it and significantly reducing the deposits inside the tank. This increases the service life of your water heating unit.
Check for Crowding
Have you installed the water heater unit in a closet or inside the basement? Then check if there are any materials around the unit. Is there enough or sufficient room around the water heater? Overcrowded areas might impact the unit. Therefore, if you use the area where the water heater is to keep other things, ensure that your family doesn’t overcrowd the place. A water heater repair professional would need sufficient space around the unit to perform a thorough inspection. You should also ensure there is adequate room for the circulation of air. This reduces any risk of eruption of fire.
Inspecting the Anode Rod
An anode rod is vital in a water heater. It is a metal rod with a higher corrosion rate than the water heater tank material. The anode rod is designed to prevent the corrosion of the water heater tank. Since it has a higher corrosion rate, it attracts the corrosion to ensure it doesn’t reach the water heater tank, sacrificing its material. If this component is used up entirely by the corrosion, the interior of your water heater tank will begin rusting.
Corroded material makes the tank weaker. Since there is a lot of pressure generated inside the tank, this might prove catastrophic. Combined with the contraction and expansion, high water pressure might make the tank explode and flood your closet or basement, resulting in severe damages and injuries.
You need to hire a plumber for water heater repair and maintenance to ensure this doesn’t happen. The professional can be coming to your home now and then as specified in your maintenance plan to inspect and maintain the water heater tank. During the maintenance visit, the plumber inspects every component of your unit, including the anode rod. If they notice that it is used up or rusty water from your faucets, they can replace the anode rod to protect the tank. Usually, the anode rod has a lifespan of three years.
Test the Unit’s Pressure Relief Valve
All conventional water heaters feature a pressure relief valve, an inbuilt safety check. Whenever there is a high-pressure build-up within the water heater, the pressure is relieved by the valve preventing an explosion. Since the T&P relief valve is essential, you want to ensure that it is currently functioning. Fortunately, your reliable water heater repair professional knows the ins and outs of this critical component. They can perform a check-up of the unit to ensure it is functioning properly. If damaged, they can easily replace it to protect the water heater.
Water Heater Repair in Harvey, Louisiana
A water heater is a necessity that you must ensure is operating optimally. Therefore, it is essential to retain the services of a water heater repair professional to maintain the unit. If you need such services in Harvey, LA, call us at bluefrog Home Services of New Orleans. We will promptly send a licensed, certified, and insured technician to your home to perform the needed repairs.
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