Your home’s water heater (or “hot water heater” if you want to irritate your high school English teacher) is one of the hardest working systems in your house. From washing dishes to cleaning clothes, showering, brushing teeth, and even cooking, your water heater works around the clock to provide your family with warm and hot water on demand. And, with all of its hard work, your water heater needs regular maintenance to keep it running efficiently and effectively, preventing the need for hot water heater repair.
What Is Annual Water Heater Maintenance?
Water heaters require an annual flush and drain service for optimal operation. During hot water heater service, one of our professional Virginia plumbers will come out to your home, power your water heater off, turn off the gas supply, and drain the heater’s tank. Once the tank is drained they will flush it with cold water to clean out the tank, removing dirt, debris, sediment, rust, and more. With hard water in many of the communities in Virginia, the build-up of minerals and grime in your water heater tank can be substantial. Once the tank has been cleaned, refilled, and powered back on, the plumber will check the water heater’s valves and pipes to ensure they are all in working order.
Benefits of Annual Water Heater Maintenance
An accumulation of sediment and sludge in your water heater’s tank can cause many problems with the system’s operation and the quality of your water supply. An annual flush and drain service prevents these issues and may keep you from having to pay for costly hot water heater repairs or replacement. Yearly water heater maintenance has numerous benefits, including:
- Cleaner water – The dirt and debris that sits at the bottom of your water heater tank infiltrates your home’s water supply, adding unwanted minerals and particles to the water that you and your family are washing with, cooking with, and drinking from.
- Warmer water – A dirty tank can prevent your water heater’s heating elements from working efficiently, causing your hot water supply to feel cooler and last for shorter intervals.
- Longer operating life – Cleaning the tank on a yearly basis keeps the heating elements, valves, and pipes in good working order, prolonging their operating life.
- Reduced chance of breakdowns – A cleaner system is a more reliable system. And having a professional plumber inspect its operating parts every 12 months will spot a pending issue before a breakdown happens… fewer hot water heater repairs for you to worry about!
- Lower energy bills – A flush and drain keeps your tank filth-free, allowing it to work at peak performance, keeping your energy output and corresponding energy bills at a minimum.
- Safer water heating – Your water heater is a complicated system and can emit carbon monoxide if not properly serviced. Annual maintenance helps to keep your heater functioning in a safe manner.
If you’re worried you might need replacement instead of simple maintenance or repair, read our blog post to find out if your home needs water heater replacement. Blue Mountain Plumbing, Heating & Cooling will get your water heater to operate at its best with our flush and drain maintenance service. Schedule your hot water heater service online or give us a call at (540) 942-2700.
