Part of owning a home means that you have to spend some time on its upkeep, and that process includes ensuring that water heater maintenance is performed annually. Doing so will net you a multitude of benefits, including consistent access to hot water, a unit that lasts longer and lower energy costs to run the equipment.
Water heaters often run off of hazardous combustible fuels, and they utilize complicated electric components and processes. That’s why, for the most part, homeowners should leave water heater maintenance to the pros.
Here’s a general checklist of tasks that should be included as part of professional maintenance, so you know what to expect:
- Drain the unit’s tank, removing sediment and other buildup that can hinder the unit’s efficiency and lead to corrosion and system failure.
- Inspect the entire system, looking for evidence of rust, corrosion or wear and tear through the unit’s tank and its connections, and replacing parts as necessary.
Test the anode rod, and replace it if it has worn out. - Check the water heater’s pressure relief valve, testing it to make sure it is working safely.
- Test the pilot light, if your unit has one.
- Check the water heater’s temperature output, ensuring that it can appropriately heat water to the right temperature.
- Inspect the unit’s venting, making sure that carbon monoxide can be safely vented out of the home.
- Flush the system, if necessary, which helps to remove lime buildup, a common occurrence for homeowners in greater Calgary due to the hardness of our water.
If you aren’t yet using a water-softening system in your home, talk to your HVAC expert during the water heater maintenance visit about the benefits of doing so. In addition, ask your technician to show you how to safely and properly drain the water heater, and then clean the unit, which homeowners should ideally perform once a year to help stay on top of sediment buildup and corrosion problems.
If you’d like to schedule water heater maintenance, contact the experts at Arpi’s Industries, serving greater Calgary-area homeowners for almost 50 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about water heater maintenance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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