Top 10 Hot Water Heater Tips
Sometimes, a little knowledge goes a long way when properly applied. Knowing some basic facts about your hot water heater can save you hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars and can help your water heater last up to 10 times longer. The following 10 water heater tips are meant to do just that. And if you are not certain how to apply any of the following repairs on your water heater, contact us at Clearview Plumbing and Heating in Calgary.
Top 10 Tips:
- To extend the life of your water heater, drain the tank annually to remove any sediment that may have built up inside it. Be careful to follow the manufacturer’s suggestions. The water draining could be extremely HOT.
- Turn down the thermostat on your water heater! It’s easy and setting your water heater thermostat to a mid to low range will still provide plenty of hot water, prevent scalding in the water heater, and save money on energy costs.
- Get a hot water insulation jacket for your water heater. Insulating the tank will keep the hot water heated longer, reduce standby heat loss (heat lost through the walls of the tank) by 25–40%, and further save on heating costs.
- Tankless Water heaters provide hot water right where you need it, when you need it, without a storage tank. Using electricity, gas, or propane as a heat source, tankless water heaters, can cut your water-heating bill by 10 to 20 percent in some cases. They save money by not wasting energy reheating water that has gone cold.
- Have a gas furnace or stove and an electric water heater? You will save money in the long run if you extend the gas line to your water heater as well. Electric water heaters usually cost approximately 3 times more to run, whereas natural gas is cheaper and more economical.
- If you live in a rural area that has propane service instead of natural gas, propane is usually less expensive than electricity. When replacing your water heater, ask your plumber to extend the propane line to your water heater.
- Install water saving showerheads in your bathrooms and aerated faucets in your sinks. This reduces the amount of hot water used, which reduces energy costs and giving your water heater a longer life span.
- Insulating your hot water pipes will reduce heat loss as the hot water flows to your faucet. More importantly, it will reduce standby heat loss when the tap is turned off and then back on later. Very often energy and water are wasted waiting for hot water to reach the tap. Even when pipes are insulated, the water in the pipes will eventually cool, but it will stay warmer longer than it would if the pipes aren’t insulated.
- Once every couple years, try to have your water heater inspected by a certified plumbing technician. This will keep it in optimal condition, and will prevent dangerous carbon monoxide problems.
- Have a Certified technician replace the anode rod about every five years. This small metal device sacrifices itself for the good of the entire unit. The corrosive chemicals in the water are drawn to the anode rod, instead of eating away at the inside of the tank itself.
These 10 water heater maintenance tips will hopefully save you money and make your hot water delivery system last longer.
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