7 Ways To Extend Your Water Heater’s Lifespan

Water heaters can be quite expensive and you can end up spending a lot of money if you have to replace it often. Maintaining your water heater properly can help it last longer and prevent major damage to your heater. 

1. Perform Regular Inspections

Performing regular inspections of your water heater can help identify and fix problems at the early stage. If you let minor issues go untreated, they can turn into serious ones which might require you to replace your entire water heater. Make sure to get your heater checked out if you experience the following,

• Continuous gurgling noises inside the heater.
• Dirty water or rust coloured water.
• Water temperature fluctuates constantly.
• Waiting for a long time before you receive hot water.
• Leaks from the tank.

2. Descale Your Water Heater

Descaling your water heater will get rid of mineral buildup which affects the efficiency of your heater. Mineral buildup can lead to overheating which is quite expensive to fix. You should also check for limestone deposits on the resistance and clean them out. In order to descale your water heater, you will require a system descaler along with a descaling solution which is biodegradable. The descaling system usually involves hoses and buckets along with a water pump. If you don’t know how to descale your water heater, have a professional do it for you.

3. Drain The Heater

You should drain your water heater two times every year to get rid of sediment buildup. If you let sediments build up in your heater for a long time, it can damage it and lead to other plumbing issues. You can drain your heater by following the steps given below,

• Shut off the main water supply to allow the heater to drain.
• Turn off the gas or electric source depending on your type of heater. Flip the power switch to the off position.
• Connect the hose to the drain’s valve and open it by turning the wheel.
• Let the dirty water flush out.

4. Replace The Sacrificial Anode

The sacrificial anode in your water heater prevents corrosion of the tank by attracting mineral and limestone particles. This anode is usually constructed from magnesium or aluminium. Over time the rod will rust away and if you don’t replace it with a new one, your heater tank will begin to rust. If this happens you will have to spend hundreds of dollars for a new water heater. You should inspect your anode every 3 years so that you can replace it before it fails. This will significantly prolong the life of your water heater.

5. Test The TBR Valve

The temperature and pressure relief valve of your water heater helps to regulate the pressure inside the tank when it becomes too high. This can happen if you set the temperature very high or the thermostat malfunctions. It is recommended to test the TPR valve every 6 months to make sure it functions properly and to reduce the occurrence of leaks.

• After locating the TPR valve, take the drain pipe off. Place the bucket under the pipe.
• Lift the TPR valve gently until you see a small stream of water flowing into the bucket.
• If you don’t see any water coming out, your TPR valve is faulty and should be replaced immediately.

6. Install An Expansion Tank

A thermal expansion tank will help prevent the problems associated with high water pressure. It will significantly increase the life of your water heater so you don’t have to replace it often. The excess water will flow into the expansion tank when the pressure gets too high and prevent other plumbing issues.

7. Insulate The Pipes

There are many advantages in insulating your hot water pipes,

• Makes your water heater more energy efficient by reducing heat loss when water flows through the pipes.
• Decreases your energy and water bills.
• Prevent your pipes from freezing in winter.

Overall, insulating your pipes can help you extend your heater’s lifespan.

Establish a proper maintenance schedule for your water heater and make sure you stick to it. If you feel like anything is off with your heater, don’t fail to call a plumber and have it checked out.