What Maintenance Does A Water Heater Need?

Here’s how you can properly tend to your water heater

No one wants to suddenly find themselves with a water heater that is on the fritz or, worse, not working entirely. That is especially true for those of us who live in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. After all, a home’s water heater does a lot. Without one we wouldn’t have hot water for showering, bathing, washing hands, doing dishes or doing laundry. In fact, a home’s water heater works so hard that it accounts for about 20% of a homeowner’s energy bills, according to the US Department of Energy.

So we clearly want our water heaters to work. And the way we keep them working and running properly is with regular routine maintenance.

Maintenance For Water Heaters

Like most appliances and home equipment, water heaters need to be maintained. If your home’s water heater gets regular maintenance, that water heater will typically last about 10 years. Some can last as long as 13 years, but this is less common. Maintenance for water heaters includes:

• Inspecting the tanks themselves
• Cleaning, flushing and removing any mineral build up
• Looking carefully at all connections on the equipment in addition to the gas piping, electrical components, heat exchanger, exhaust vent piping, thermostat and pilot assembly

Replacing Your Water Heater

As we mentioned above, even water heaters who have followed by the book maintenance will eventually need to be replaced. Once you have had your water heater for 10 years, it’s a good idea to pay close attention to whether or not the time has come to replace it. Luckily, there are some things you can look for that signal that it is likely time for a water heater replacement. Here they are:

• Unusual sounds: Any unfamiliar or strange sounds coming from your water heater such as growling or gurgling should be paid close attention to as they could be a sign of sediment build-up.
• Higher energy bills: If you suddenly find yourself spending more money on your energy bills, but fuel prices haven’t changed and the amount of hot water that you use hasn’t changed, your water heater may not be working as efficiently as it should. Upgrading to a newer water heater that is more efficient will help.
• Water stains: If you’re noticing white marks (otherwise known as hard water stains) on glassware and silverware that have just been washed in the dishwasher, you may have a lime buildup in your water heater’s tank. This will affect how efficiently your water heater works and can lead to it needing to be replaced sooner than it normally would.
• Puddles and rusty water: Strong signs that there is corrosion in a water heater are puddles around the tank and rusty water coming from the tank. You will find this happens more with steel tanks than other tanks and it probably means that your tank is going to need to be replaced soon.

Hocon Gas Can Help You Find a Water Heater

While replacing a water heater may feel like a daunting task, you can count on Hocon Gas for reliable water heater installation in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. We serve Norwalk, Torrington, Waterbury, Danbury, Guilford, Suffield, Shelton and surrounding towns in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York and are happy to have you stop by one of our showrooms where we can tell you more about the water heaters we offer and all about the benefits of propane water heaters.

Don’t want until your water heater needs replacing – contact Hocon today!