Make Sure You Maintain Your Saskatoon Water Heater
Having a functioning water heater is crucial to ensure you and your family have access to sufficiently warm/hot water for bathing, washing dishes, and during those chilly winters. The water heater also constitutes a significant investment in the plumbing system installed in your premises, and, as with all mechanical systems, you are advised to have it maintained to ensure that it continues to operate adequately, especially when you need it the most.
In the following sections, we will discuss some essential steps to help you extend the operational lifespan of your installed water heating unit by maintaining it.
How to Make Sure You Maintain Your Water Heater?
Water heaters continue to be expensive, on average, when installed, mainly because parts and labour are expensive, and the entire process is time-consuming, requires professional work, and requires specialized equipment – all of which don’t come cheap.
So, if you want your investment to be future-proof and operational for years to come, it’s best to invest some time in its maintenance.
Follow the steps enlisted to properly drain your water heater:
1. Drain Your Hot Water Tank
Draining your water heater is the most recommended maintenance tip you will get from an expert Saskatoon plumber. By properly training your water heater, you flush out the settled sediments that can lead to clogs, water leaks, and in extreme cases, complete water heater failure.
2. Shut off the Water Supply
Turn the shutoff valve clockwise to stop the water supply to your heater or if you have a ¼ turn shut off, make sure to twist the handle to the off position.
3. Switch Off the Power Supply
If you have an electric heater installed on your premises, you wouldn’t want to clean it while it’s still switched on. So, carefully shut down the power from the main electric panel installed somewhere in your home.
If you have a gas-fueled hot water tank, it is recommended that you turn the thermostat knob to the pilot mode; however, it is also suggested that you first consult the manufacturer of your water heater or the manual provided to ensure the proper procedure is followed.
4. Wait!
You don’t want to drain your water tank, especially when the water inside it is extremely hot. Give it some time (15 min. to 1 hour depending on the capacity of your water heater tank) and then move on to the next step.
5. Connect the Hose
Connect one end of the hose to the drain valve, which is conveniently located at the bottom of the hot water tank, and the second end of the hose into your floor drain.
6. Turn on the Hot Water Tap at a Faucet
You want to follow this step to alleviate the pressure built inside the tank so that it drains more quickly.
7. Drain Valve
Now turn the drain valve knob to allow the water to flow out of the tank.
8. Flush with Clean Water
To flush your water tank with clean water, turn on the main water supply to your water heater while ensuring the drain valve is still open.
9. Adjust the thermostat to 120°F
Many homeowners simply set their water heater to the maximum setting and assume that they will get more hot water when they are really only heating the same amount of water to a higher temperature. This literally makes no sense. Adjusting your water heater’s thermostat to 120°F or 48.8°C not only do you reduce the risk of scalding but also saves up to 5% on your energy bills.
Verdict
From the steps discussed, it is clear that water heater maintenance is straightforward. All you have to do is invest a little time, and your hot water tank will continue to meet your needs for many years to come.