A water heater is used everyday in most households, but can easily be forgotten or overlooked when it comes to proper maintenance. If you need a repair on your water heater, or if you would like us to provide maintenance for your water heater, please contact us to schedule an appointment.
Water heaters can last a decade or more if properly maintained, in our experience 12 years seems to be a very common time for them to need repair, fail or need replacement. We can install a new water heater if you require a new one. To prevent buying or replacing your water heater earlier than needed, we have a few maintenance tips for your water heater.
Check the temperature setting of your unit. Ideally the temperature should read between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This will prevent your unit from over heating and reduce the energy used to create the hot water.
Test the T&P valve (Temperature and Pressure). This valve is critical to the operation of your unit and can easily be checked. Lift the valve up slightly, then let it go and it should rapidly go back down. You will hear some gurgling noise as a little water is released into the drain tube. If your valve doesn’t do anything then it is probably bad and in need of replacement.
A third tip for maintaining your water heater is a mini-flush. This removes sediment from the bottom of the tank which will help prevent rust, corrosion and also improve efficiency. Place a bucket, tub or large can under the drain valve located at the bottom of the unit. Turn the valve counter clockwise to release a couple of gallons into the bucket. To close the valve turn it back, clockwise.
Following these steps, you can prolong the life of your water heater. We recommend doing this on an annual basis. If you need a water heater installation, repair or regular maintenance, give Total Plumbing a call.
We serve Garland, Plano, Dallas, Rockwall, Mesquite and other surrounding DFW areas.
