Imagine waking up on a January morning and hopping into the shower to start the day. You look forward to standing under a hot stream of water as you relax before beginning your daily routine. Then, you’re hit with a freezing blast of ice water – even though you’ve got the heat turned all the way up! The culprit you’re looking for could be a broken water heater.
This sounds like a very unappealing way to begin one’s morning, especially when it’s already freezing outdoors. Luckily, this nightmare scenario can be avoided by keeping up with regular maintenance on not just your water heater, but also many household appliances. Below are some DIY techniques to try to prevent the failure of your water heater.
Water Heater Tips: A Better Life
1. Adding Insulation: Adding insulation can reduce heat loss by up to 45% and shave about 9% off of water heating costs.
2. Regular Check-ups: Regularly inspecting the inside of the tank by taking a look to see if the anode rod is in place and if there are any visible rust spots. Replacing one of these rods is a lot less expensive than replacing an entire water heater.
3. Flushing the Tank: Regularly flushing the tank of the water heater will help to avoid buildup of sediments and debris and can help achieve better water quality for you and your family.
4. Annually test the temp pressure relief valve: Just maintaining this is a good idea, because if there is no pressure release or the valve malfunctions, there are many problems that can occur.
5. Maintain at least two feet distance between water heater and other appliances: This is just to maintain safety around the house and to make sure that no other appliances are within a distance to cause more problems if your water heater were to break.
As always, the Pearson hotline is only a phone call away 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We can assist you with any questions or problems you may have this winter season!
