Hot water heater maintenance and replacement is a fact of life for any homeowner and Las Vegas Plumbing, Inc. specializes in water heater maintenance and replacement. Every hot water heater is sold with a manufacturer’s warranty. The longer the warranty, the thicker the walls of the water heater and the less likely that you will have to replace your water heater. Most warranties are for 6 years – in Clark County the average lifespan of a residential water heater is 5-7 years.
Once you are outside of the manufacturer’s warranty, consider yourself living on borrowed time. There are a number of factors that can contribute to the overall lifespan of your hot water heater. It will happen one night – your hot water heater will start acting up. Maybe it will stop producing hot water or start emitting a foul smell. No matter the case, you will need to fix it and fast. Avoid late night stress by conducting consistent care for your water heater
Hot Water Heater Routine Maintenance is Essential!
The first and most controllable factor is routine maintenance. Make sure that you flush your water heater tank and check the pressure release valve at least once every six to twelve months.
Sacrificial Anodes Maintenance
Another often overlooked piece of maintenance is checking the sacrificial anodes. The anodes are placed in your tank so that they can corrode instead of the lining of your hot water heater. These anodes should be checked when you flush your water heater tank. Once the anode is “down to the wire” it is time to be replaced. If not replaced in a timely fashion, the natural sediments and minerals in your water will begin to corrode the lining of your hot water heater making loud noises or hindering its performance, leading to premature failure of the water heater tank walls. Replacing the sacrificial anodes is a lot less expensive than replacing your hot water heater. Checking the anodes is a crucial factor in your hot water heater replacement timeline.
Water Heater Pilot Light
If you have a gas water heater, you should periodically check the pilot light. The flame should be blue with a yellow tip. If it is yellow, this may mean you need a safety adjustment. Contact Las Vegas Plumbing, Inc. to fix the pilot light issue right away! While you are under your water heater checking the pilot light, make sure there is not an excessive buildup of soot. This can cause a clogged flue, which in turn can lead to carbon monoxide leaking into your home. Thus, cleaning up any soot is of vital importance!
Water Demand
If your water heater often runs cold, it might be due to a greater demand for hot water than the water heater can supply. A water heater should generally hold 75% of its capacity as hot water. For example, if you have a demand for 40 gallons of hot water based on your family size, your water heater should hold 50 gallons. If your family demands more hot water than your current water heater provides, you might consider replacing your water heater with a larger tank. Another cause of inadequate hot water is a broken or damaged dip tube, which can allow hot and cold water to mix in the tank.
Contact Las Vegas Plumbing!
Have your hot water heater inspected by Las Vegas Plumbing, Inc. at a minimum, once every two years. Our licensed technicians can diagnose potential problems and enact easy, quick repairs, which will save you from a complete water heater replacement down the road.
