If you have any type of water heater inside your home, the answer is yes, it does need maintenance. Whether your water heater is brand new or getting up in age, maintenance is a great investment to make. You can keep reading to learn more about why the service is so valuable and how often you need to schedule it.
Then give our team a call to get on the calendar for water heater services in Grosse Pointe, MI. You’ll be glad that you invested in professional care for your water heater, whether tank or tankless. We can even offer tips for maximizing how you use your water heater to save on energy and water costs, and also boost overall comfort.
Water Heater Age
The average lifespan of a water heater is 8 to 12 years, although some water heaters can last for closer to 20 years with proper care. As your water heater gets older, it becomes more and more likely that you need to schedule professional service. Ideally, schedule maintenance annually for your water heater, whether it is gas or electric, tank or tankless.
If you’ve skipped out on maintenance when your water heater was newer and now it is getting up in age, you can still start investing in maintenance now. There is no wrong time to prioritize care for your water heater. Your older water heater may need to be replaced in the near future, but you can start fresh with a new one and invest in regular maintenance consistently from the start to help your new model enjoy a much longer lifespan.
Leaks
Having water leaks is a sign that you need to schedule a service appointment for your water heater. Even though it is a water appliance, leaks are always a problem. It’s easy to think that a drip here or there is not a big deal, but water leaking out also means that air is getting into the system.
This can create an imbalance in pressure that changes how effectively your water heater works and even increases the likelihood of corrosion. Leaks need to be addressed quickly, so even if you’ve had a recent maintenance appointment, you need to go ahead and schedule service again instead of putting it off for later.
Unusual Sounds
If your water heater begins to make a popping or crackling sound, that can point to mineral buildup. If the water leading into your home is hard, that means it has high mineral content. Even if you can’t see these minerals with your naked eye when you fill up a glass of water, they can build up over time to create a sediment inside of your water heater.
It’s important to have your water heater flushed out annually if you have hard water. Otherwise, the abrasive minerals can wear down the lining of your tank or cause blockages if you have a tankless water heater. It’s easy to complete a water quality test and determine what types and quantities of particles are in your water.
Discolored Water
If you turn on the hot water and it is not clear, corrosion may already be a significant problem inside your water heater. As the tank rusts, some of that rust will make the water look orange or brown. Of course, there are other problems that could discolor your water. You can also turn on the cold water faucet to see if that water is discolored as well. If it is, you probably need to consider another issue. But if only your hot water is discolored, the tank is likely to blame.
Contact Charter Home Comfort today to schedule an appointment with our professionals for water heater maintenance. Old fashioned values with tech savvy results!