Your water heater is one of the most important parts of your home, and yet we rarely pay any attention to it until serious trouble arises. You can prevent a lot of problems with your water heater by scheduling a regular maintenance session from a qualified plumber, and here in Olympia, WA, you have an expert company you can turn to. But it helps to understand what goes into water heater maintenance and why that can help yours function at its best. Here are 3 crucial parts of water heater maintenance that every servicing session should involve.
Replace the Anode Rod
The anode rod is placed in your tank, and is usually made of zinc or aluminum. It acts as an attractors for rust, keeping the sides of the tank itself rust free and continuing to function as normal. Without an anode rod, the rust would accrue sand eventually cause a breach. Anode rods don’t need to be changed at every maintenance session, but the technician will usually do so if the steel core is visible, if calcium is coating it, or if it generally looks as if it’s getting a little thin.
Flush the Tank
Sediment has a way of collecting at the bottom of the tank, and if left unchecked it will eventually form an insulating layer between the burners and the water they’re trying to heat. A maintenance session will always involve draining the tank and clearing out the sediment to prevent that from happening.
Test the Temperature-Pressure Relief Valve
This valve will release water from the tank in the event the pressure gets too high, in order to prevent an explosion. Obviously, it’s important to get it tested often, which a trained technician can do. He or she can also check it for other signs of trouble, such as leaks.
Call Brooks Plumbing today for quality water heater maintenance.
