Maintenance Checklist for an Electric Water Heater

If you get your hot water supply from a water heater, then you have every reason to make sure the equipment is maintained properly. Otherwise, you might find yourself without hot water at crucial times. As a matter of fact, most water heater problems arise due to failure on the part of equipment users to stick to the scheduled maintenance routine recommended by equipment manufacturers and/or qualified technicians. 

If you've installed an electric water heater in your home, you will need to meet its maintenance requirements so you can get optimal service from it. Take a look at what a basic maintenance routine for an electric water heater should cover. 

Checking for leaks

Your water heater consumes electricity to provide you with hot water. If you do not regularly inspect the equipment to check for leaks, then you could be losing drips of precious water, which may translate into several gallons of water that goes to waste if the leaks are not detected and fixed early. While pressure-relief valves and drain valves are most susceptible to leakage, virtually any place with a connection can develop a leak.

Removing sediment from your tank

Over time, your heater's water tank will accumulate sediment at the bottom. The sediment may reduce the performance of the equipment by acting as a heat insulator below the tank. Aside from that, sediment buildup can cause your heater to operate noisily. So, it is important that you periodically drain and flush your tank to get rid of the unwanted sediment. 

Optimising your thermostat settings

Just like air conditioners, most electric water heaters have a thermostat. The job of the thermostat is to regulate the temperature of the hot water in the tank. Setting the temperature too low will mean that your water won't be as hot as you would like it to be. Temperature settings that are too high, on the other hand, will increase your electricity bills unnecessarily and may also result in scalding, and you don't want your hot water to be a source of pain to your loved ones.

As with all other appliances, electric water heaters age over time and will need to be replaced at some point. You can considerably reduce the rate of wear and tear and prolong the lifespan of your equipment with the above-discussed tips. Prior to performing any hot water maintenance checks, make sure you turn OFF your water heater.

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