Everybody and their brother knows at least one thing about water heaters: they provide the hot water you need to take a shower, wash dishes, scrub your kitchen floor, wash your clothes, and a bunch more.
What else do you know about yours? Hmmm, stuck a little on that one? Don’t be, as we now present the 3 most important things every home owner should know about their water heater.
Fact #1: They consume a lot of energy.
Of all the energy you and your family consume every day, on average, 15% of that goes to heating your water. We’re not just talking about your electricity bill, either – we’re talking gas and electricity bills combined (depending on what type of water heater you have).
Well, the federal government has done something about that through a new program launched in 2015 called NAECA (National Appliance Energy Conservation Act). Now, all new water heaters manufactured for use in the US must and do meet stricter energy efficiency standards to help conserve energy and save you money.
Still, there are always things you can do to cut your costs even further. You know, like replacing your showerhead with a low-flow model, not running the hot water continuously while shaving, and more. Every little step really does add up to bigger and bigger savings.
Fact #2: It Can’t Take Care of Itself.
Most water heaters are designed to last 10-12 years. In the overall scheme of things, that’s not a very long time. So doesn’t it make sense to take the best possible care of it so you can get the greatest possible return on your investment? Of course it does, and the very simple and affordable way to accomplish that is with an annual water heater inspection by a licensed and experienced plumber. You see, when water enters your water heater, it’s bringing “friends” along with it, namely sediment and minerals. Over time, these build up on the walls of your storage tank and make your system more prone to repair problems. Annual preventative maintenance can relieve you of that concern.
Fact #3: It Won’t Last Forever.
We touched on the temporary nature of your mechanical water heater in the previous step, but now let’s take it a step further. Because even with the best of care, sooner or later it’s going to need to be replaced. How will you know when that time has come? Primarily by one or more of these telltale signs:
- Water leaking from the base
- Noisy operation
- Longer recovery times
- Less supply
- And, of course, no hot water at all
Connor Plumbing: Ready to Serve You Now.
If your water heater is less than 10 years old but hasn’t been checked in a year or more, we urge you to contact us today to schedule our preventative maintenance. We service and repair all makes and models, which means we can service your system, too. Or, if it’s time to at least consider replacing yours, call us and we’ll come out and give you a free quote on a replacement system and, in the process, explain all the options available to you today, including tankless water heaters.
