Water Heater Maintenance Tips

There are several emergency plumbing issues which simply can’t be avoided, and these are why you employ a 24/7 plumber like All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling. We’re here to address your water damage and other plumbing issues an hour of the day, no matter what.

A big part of our services, however, involves informing our clients about ways to potentially avoid these serious issues in the future. Some of the most common issues we see this time of year relate to water heaters – here are a few tips for properly maintaining yours.

Know Basic Details

It may sound obvious, but you should know exactly where your water heater is and how to access it. You should also know what type of water heating is being used – natural gas, electric or propane. Does your heater use a storage tank, or is it tankless? Be sure to write down your model and serial number, or at least know where it’s located on the tank. This could be relevant down the line if you have any issues.

Know How to Turn it Off

If there’s an emergency, especially if you can smell gas or if there’s water actively leaking into your home, you need to be able to shut things off. Most water heaters have shut-off valves on the cold side piping, and you should locate yours. There should also be a disconnect switch for gas within a few feet of the heater. It’s also good to know which circuit breaker is used for the water heater, so you can shut this off at the source if needed.

Give it Space

It’s good to clear the area near your heater, both for ease of access and for other issues. Gas-fired units need oxygen to burn, for instance, and it’s much easier to let this happen or catch issues like leaks if you have room to see what’s going on in that area. It can also be a fire hazard to store things too closely.

Drain Regularly

At least once a year, use your drain valve to drain a few gallons from your heater. This is a great way to keep it up to date, and also to check for larger problems – if you see larger amounts of debris in the water, this could signal that it’s time for a full flush of the system.

Annual Inspection

Finally, be sure to have an annual inspection on your heater. This can be something you do yourself if you’re experienced, but there are several detailed steps that plumbers like ours are recommended for in most cases.

To find out more about the water heater installation or maintenance services we can provide, or any other element of our plumbing offerings, speak to the experts at All Hours Plumbing, Drain Cleaning, Heating & Cooling today.