Avoid Costly Water Heater Repairs By Performing Regular Maintenance

One home appliance that goes pretty well unnoticed until it malfunctions is the water heater. Water heaters vary in prices depending upon what type you get, whether it is a gas water heater or an electric water heater. Both gas and electric water heaters range from the moderately priced to the expensive models depending upon the type it will take to meet your water heating needs. One thing is for sure, no one wants to replace a water heater until it becomes absolutely necessary.

Some water heaters can have their heating elements replaced rather simply while others will have to have a professional to do the job. In this article we will concentrate on water hear maintenance which will allow you more time with your water heater before having to replace an element. Gas water heaters are another matter entirely, so we will focus on the most predominant type of water heater which is the electric water heater.

Before you attempt to repair or perform maintenance on any electrical appliance, you should be certain that the power to the appliance is completely shut off. You should always assume that the power is on to an appliance and use due caution. Before beginning maintenance or repairs it is imperative that you make sure that the power to the appliance is off by either unplugging the appliance yourself or by shutting the power of at the breaker box. If you are working on an appliance which cannot be unplugged from an outlet it is recommended that you post a note at the breaker box stating that you are working on the appliance so that no one will turn the power back on accidentally.

All water heaters no matter what type they are will build up sediment in the bottom of the water tank. Over time this buildup can cause serious problems and the eventual malfunction of your water heater. To prevent the sediment from causing your water heater to malfunction it is necessary to drain the water tank annually.

You'll find that most water heaters have two valves on them. There will be a valve located at the top or near the top of the water heater which is the pressure release valve. The valve that we will be using to drain the water from your water heater will be located near the bottom of the water tank.

After being completely sure that the electricity has been shut off to the appliance, it is time to turn off the water going to the water heater. There should be a valve from a water pipe which leads into the water tank. This is where you will be able to shut the water off to the water heater. If there is no valve, then you will have to shut off the main water before draining the water tank.

Go to a bathroom sink or the bathtub and turn on the hot water after you have the water shut off and before draining the tank. This will allow the water tank to drain easily. Before opening the drain valve on your water heater, be certain that you have something to catch the water in, or use a water hose to allow the water to drain into a container. You can place the other end of the water hose outside if you like. A word of caution here, the water exiting the water heater will be hot.

Keep watch on the water as it exits from the water hose. You will see it go from a dark color to a more clear color as it drains. Once the water is no longer so cruddy looking, you will have removed most of the bothersome sediment in the bottom of the water tank. You may then close the drain valve, turn the water back on to the water tank, and restore power to the appliance.

Draining a water heater is not that big of a deal if you follow the safety rules and use caution when the hot water drains from the tank. This simple act repeated annually however, can save you a lot of time and trouble in dealing with water heater repairs in the future.