Water heaters are one of the unsung heroes of our households: quietly and reliably providing hot water for cooking, cleaning and bathing. But because they’re so reliable – as well as being tucked away in seldom-used parts of the house like the basement – it can often be hard to notice the signs of trouble. That, more than any other factor, contributes to high repair bills: the homeowner’s unawareness of the issue until it’s too late.
For instance, most tank water heaters come with an anode rode, which prevents rust from forming on the insides of the tank. The rod needs to be replaced every few years, or else your tank will rust. Most of the time, you won’t see any sign of that until your water turns rust-colored, at which point the entire tank likely needs to be replaced. What could have been a very inexpensive replacement of a single component suddenly becomes something much more involved and expensive.
Maintenance Is Designed to Catch All of That
Prevention is always preferable to repairs, which is what a maintenance session is all about. It gives the plumbing technician a chance to check for specific signs that something might be wrong. If the issue can be corrected easily, it can be included as part of the maintenance. If it takes a little more work, it lets you schedule repairs at your convenience, as opposed to rushing around in the wake of an unexpected breakdown on the hottest day of the year.
But maintenance can do more than that. By performing little steps such as flushing out the tank and replacing the anode rod when needed, the technician can help reduce wear and tear on the individual components. Not only does this reduce the risk of other problems forming, it can help your water heater perform more efficiently, and cut down on monthly bills in the process. Best of all, with regular maintenance sessions scheduled throughout the water heater’s life, you can help it last far longer than it might, allowing you to get the best value out of your investment.
Why Now?
Spring makes an excellent time to schedule maintenance as part of a general spring cleaning overall. It gives your chance to shake off the cobwebs of winter, as well as checking for signs that the freezing cold of winter didn’t damage key parts of your home. The water heater can be vulnerable to cold temperatures. A maintenance session lets the technician ensure that everything is ship-shape, and the system can perform exactly as you need it to. Best of all, it lets you set a regular date every year to schedule maintenance again, ensuring that you and your technician can stay on top of any developing issues.
If you haven’t scheduled water heater maintenance for your water heater in 12 months or more, now is an excellent time to do so. Here in Sherman, TX quality water heater maintenance can be performed by the pros at Hutchins Plumbing & Air Conditioning. Call us today to make an appointment!
