Most of the time, it’s easy to take your water heater for granted. It’s important, though, that you don’t entirely overlook your water heater so that you can give it the maintenance it needs to last a long time. One of the most important steps in water heater maintenance is draining the tank. Taking care of your tank in this way doesn’t have to be time-consuming or difficult and is a great way to take care of your Modesto home. To ensure you’re successful when draining your water heater, here is a tried-and-true method that the pros at Honey's Air & Solar use to drain water heaters.
Why Drain a Water Heater?
If your water heater is full of hot water, you may wonder why you’d want to drain all that perfectly good hot water without using it to take showers or wash dishes. The answer is that draining a water heater helps to stir and remove sediment that collects at the bottom of the water heater. This sediment is naturally occurring and is produced by the minerals that are found in most water supplies.
When you remove the sediment from your water heater’s tank, it uncovers the heating element at the bottom of your water heater so that the heating element can heat your water more efficiently. To ensure your water heater runs as efficiently and safely as possible, the pros at Honey's Air & Solar recommend draining your water heater at least once a year.
How To Drain a Water Heater
A simple garden hose is the only tool you’ll need to drain your water heater. Connect the hose to the outlet on your water heater, and then turn off the gas and water supplies to your water heater. Open the drain valve and then remove the hot water pipe at the top of the water heater to allow air in to force the water out of the tank. After the tank is completely drained, make sure to rinse it out a few times with cold water from the supply line. Once you’re satisfied that the tank is clean, you can close the drain valve, disconnect the hose, and open the cold water supply to allow the tank to refill.
Other Ways To Maintain Your Water Heater
Aside from an annual draining, Honey's Air & Solar recommends that you maintain your water heater in a few other ways. The most important is checking the TPR valve. This valve allows the water heater to release excess pressure if the water heater malfunctions. Without it, the water heater could explode if there’s a problem. You can also check the anode rod in the water heater to see how much of the rod remains. Adding insulation to the pipes and around the tank can help to save energy and prevent sudden temperature swings around the water heater to help prevent the metal from weakening. Of course, you can call Honey's Air & Solar and let a trained technician take care of any necessary maintenance, as well.
Signs It’s Time for a New Water Heater
Even with faithful maintenance, your water heater will eventually need to be replaced. If your water heater reaches more than 15 years old, it’s typically a good idea to get a new water heater from Honey's Air & Solar before something goes wrong. Other signs that indicate you need a new water heater include leaks, rusty water coming from the water heater, and strange sounds coming from the water heater. Another tell-tale sign of a failing water heater is a lack of hot water. If you notice that you’re having to end showers earlier than usual because the hot water runs out, it might be time to replace your water heater.
Helping Ensure You Don’t Run Out of Hot Water
At Honey's Air & Solar, the last thing we want to happen is for you to run out of hot water while you’re taking a shower. That’s why we proudly service and install water heaters so that you can have the reliable hot-water supply that you deserve. We can also take care of other home comfort needs, including air conditioner repair, furnace replacement, whole-home generator installation, ventilation system maintenance, indoor air quality monitoring, and more. Our consistent commitment to customer service has earned us the 209 Magazine “Best of 209” award in addition to countless five-star customer reviews. To learn more about taking care of your water heater, contact us at Honey's Air & Solar today.
