When it comes to your home’s electric hot water heater, there are a few maintenance tasks that should be done at least once a year. Here’s a quick rundown on what works:
Sediment Distillation
During the course of its use, the electric heater tends to warm the water built up inside the tank. Sediment is caused by impurity in the water. The speed at which it builds up is largely determined by the quality of the water in your area. Periodic removal of sediment from your hot water heater tank is one important reason. Scum can build up inside your hot water heater, thus reducing its energy efficiency. water quality in my area is good. As such, my family and I usually check our hot water heater for sediment build up twice a year. We used to tend to it once in the spring and once in the winter.
Thankfully, removing sediment from an electric hot water heater is a fairly quick and easy process. Simply look for the drain valve located on your hot water heater. Most of the drain valve is located at the bottom of the hot water heater. Once you have found the drain valve, place a bucket under it and handle the drain valve. The water should come out of the hot water heater valve and land inside the bucket. The water will be hot, so make sure you don’t burn yourself on the way. You will also make sure that the bucket does not overflow. When we drain our tank, we typically attach a hose to the drain and the hose runs outside. We have a panel built into our hot water heater specifically for this purpose. After the water is in the bucket, we examine the water for clarity. If there is sediment, the water will appear in the cloud. Then allow the water to run out of the hot water heater until it becomes clear.
Check the Relief Valve
From my experience as a father, the electric valve of the hot water heater should be checked at least twice a year. My family and I tend to check our hot water heater relief valve on the same days we check the sediment level inside the pool. Many hot water heater manufacturers recommend that you check the relief valve once every time. To understand why checking the relief valve is important, you first need to understand how a hot water heater works.
As the water heats up inside your hot water heater tank, pressure builds. A hot water heater’s thermostat is designed to regulate the temperature of the water to ensure that the pressure inside the tank does not reach an unsafe level. If the technician’s thermostat and pressure reaches less than safe levels, the hot water heater can explode. The relief valve is designed to kick open and release the pressure inside the tank before that can happen. Hence, the intervals should be checked as a safer precaution.
Checking your hot water heater relief valve is quick and easy too. You want to look for the relief valve of the hot water heater towards the top. Traditionally it looks like a little bar and is connected to a long stretch with an open end. Place the bucket under the open pipe and carefully lift the lever. When you lift the lever, hot water should pour out of the open end of the pipe and into the bucket. Be careful not to burn. If the hot water pipe does not come out, there is a problem with the relief valve of the hot water heater. Given the safety issues, any problems with the hot water heater relief valve should be addressed immediately by a professional plumber.
Gonzalez is a home owner to kill. He also has a history of completing home improvement projects with his family.
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