Your water heater is an important part of your home. Unfortunately, we often don’t realize it until one day, something goes wrong and we’re out of hot water. At Oliver, we suggest a water heater maintenance plan that can help keep your system running smoothly. We’ll evaluate your water heater on a regular basis to make sure it’s still in health and if not, we’ll fix it or replace it.
Here, we share some water heater maintenance facts you may not know:
Explosion Risk
An exploding hot water heater is a rare occurrence, but it can happen. If it does, it can mean serious damage to your home (not to mention your heater). Luckily, water heater maintenance can help prevent an explosion. Things like regulating the temperature and psi as well as checking for rust and smells of leaking gas can keep it in check.
Cloudy or Reddish Water
Over time, mineral deposits form in your water heater. If you turn on your faucet to find cloudy water or water that has an odd odor, you water heater could be leaking these deposits. If you notice your water is brown or reddish, it could mean rust in your system or your pipes.
Energy Usage
Did you know that around 1/4 of the energy usage in your home comes from using your water heater? On a daily basis, many homeowners use hot water for laundry, showers, washing dishes, and more. That’s why water heater maintenance is important to keep your supply of hot water consistent.
Popping Sounds
Have you ever heard your hot water heater make a “popping” sound? This commonly occurs in homes with hard water. As sediment and minerals build up, they form a layer on the surface of your water tank. Among this layer are pockets of air and once the water begins to boil, these pockets “pop.”
Lifespan
With regular water heater maintenance, the average tank water heater can last 10-13 years while the average tankless water heater can last 18-20 years. If you’re not sure how old your water heater is, take a look at the metal manufacturer’s tag on it. There are different ways to display the manufacturing age, but many use the first four digits of the serial number as a code. The first two digits are the month (ex: 05) while the second two digits are the year (ex: 09).
Water Usage
On average, a person uses 6-8 gallons of water during a shower and 15-20 gallons of water during a bath. When it comes to laundry, we use 20-30 gallons of water per load. A person doing the dishes will use around 2 gallons of water per minute, and a dishwasher will use around 6-10 gallons per load. With all of this water being used, it’s important to call Oliver and keep your system running smoothly.
Don’t wait until something goes wrong with your water heater – call our maintenance experts today!
