Purchasing, using, and repairing a hot water heater in your Sacramento home can be expensive. Following are five things you can do to prolong the life of your water heater and save money.
Follow Energy Saving Guidelines
According to the ACEEE (American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy), the three biggest uses of hot water are clothes washers, showers, and baths. To limit the amount of hot water you use in these areas, install low-flow shower heads, reduce the amount of time in the shower, run only full batches of clothes or dishes, and use energy-efficienct appliances.
Insulate the Tank and Pipes
The amount of heat lost while the hot water is just sitting in your tank is known as standby loss. You can reduce this loss by wrapping a water heater blanket around your tank. Be sure to purchase one that fits your tank and is designed for either gas or electric systems. Another way you can reduce standby loss is to insulate your hot and cold water pipes that connect to your heater.
Regularly Drain Sediment
It is natural for water heaters to collect sediment on the bottom of the tank, especially with hard water. Leaving the sediment in the tank reduces its efficiency and costs money. It also shortens the life of your water heater because it makes the bottom rust out faster. You should regularly drain your tank. Follow the instructions in the owner’s manual. When you do, make sure the heater is unplugged from the wall and any gas is turned off. Also, be careful when you work around it because both the water coming out of the tank and the pipes can be very hot. You may want to have a professional from Roto Rooter come and do it for you.
Replace Rusty Tanks
Unfortunately, when your tank rusts out, there is nothing you can do but replace it. When you are looking to replace your system, you may want to consider going to a more energy-efficient water heater such as an on-demand system that does not store the water in a tank. This type of system heats the water as you use it. Another energy-efficient water heater is a heat-recovery system, which redirects heat generated from your other appliances into a water heating system.
Make Minor Repairs
Some problems require minor water heater repairs in Sacramento. These include leaky valves or corroded valves. Problems of this nature are small and do not require a new system. It is important to take care of them promptly, though, before they turn into larger problems that cannot be repaired.
