A water heater is an important part of a home's heating system; the water heater heats water throughout the home whether someone's taking a shower, or washing dishes. It is important to maintain a water heater so that it lasts for a long duration of time; most standard tank water heaters last as long as 20 years if properly maintained.
While a water heater may be maintained by a homeowner, if they are unsure about performing maintenance checks, it might be ideal to call a professional serviceman such as a professional plumber or handyman. Typically when maintaining a water heater, there aren't any tools required except for a flashlight if needed to see clearly.
Once of the first things one should look for when maintaining their water heater is any signs of moisture; moisture may either be on the water heater itself, or the floor may be dampened. In some scenarios, there may even be dripping water if the water heater has a leak.
It is necessary for an individual to call a professional plumber immediately if they notice their water heater is leaking, or if they happen to notice moisture on the unit. These are all signs that the water heater could be corroding and rusting the internal parts; also a leaking water heater is very dangerous because of the hot water.
Another important thing for one to do is to test the pressure relief valve of their water heater system periodically; if unsure of how to do this, it is best to consult a professional plumber. The pressure may be checked by lifting the pressure relief valve and letting it go so that it retracts back into position.
Once back in position, the individual should hear water flowing into the water heater's drain tube. However, in the event that there is no water flow when the pressure relief valve is checked, a professional should be consulted to help repair the problem.
Lastly, one of the most basic tasks one may perform is to empty their water heater tank once every six months and refill the tank with a fresh water supply. This will help to maintain the water heater unit, as well as to help avoid mineral deposit build-ups within the tank due to old water.
If you think your water heater is not performing like it should, consider having your heater checked by a specialist in your Springfield TN home. Call Green Hills Plumbing today at (615) 866-1917.