Water heaters are placed under a pretty significant amount of stress from the time they are installed to the time they are replaced. You may not use your HVAC systems every day, but you almost certainly use hot water on a daily basis. That means that water heater maintenance is arguably the most important type of maintenance you can conduct on your home appliances. After all, you don’t want to suddenly find yourself taking a cold shower when your water heater breaks down. So, let’s take a look at what actually happens during a water heater maintenance appointment.
Sediment Flushing
With water flowing in and out of your water heater storage tank every time you call for hot water, small amounts of minerals are often deposited on the bottom of the tank. While this isn’t that big of an issue at first, over time the sediment deposits on the bottom of the tank become so thick that they insulate the water inside from the heat. This is obviously detrimental to the operation of your water heater. So part of a maintenance appointment includes flushing the tank to get rid of any sediment buildup.
Checking/Changing the Anode Rod
The anode rod is a part that is inserted into the tank to protect it from rust. While the rod is in the tank, it slowly degrades over time. While the rod is degrading, the tank lining is protected from rusting. Sooner or later, however, the rod will become too degraded and must be replaced. Part of every water heater maintenance appointment is to check the anode rod and replace it if necessary.
If you haven’t scheduled water heater maintenance in over a year, call Sunset Air. We provide water heater maintenance throughout Olympia, WA.
