The Benefits of Flushing Your Water Heater
One of the most important home maintenance tasks many of us gloss over is flushing your water heater. This is doubly important across Texas and anywhere else ‘hard water’ is common as mineral deposits will destroy your water heater when it would otherwise have years more of life.
Here’s what you need to know:
How does a water heater work?
Water heaters pull in cold water from outside the home and then heat it up for later use throughout the house. Typically a water heater can hold between 20 to 80 gallons of water (of course it’s different for tankless water heaters). The size of the tank corresponds to the amount of people living in the home. Your average home capacity sits between 40 to 60 gallons of water.
Why you should flush your water heater
As the water sits in the tank, minerals in the water settle at the bottom over time. These minerals are, however, poor conductors of heat and, in enough quantities, affect the quality of your water heater. Flushing your water heater gets rid of these minerals, leading to a variety of benefits to your property.
Longer lifespan and fewer repairs
One of the biggest benefits of flushing your water heater is that it can extend its lifespan. A gas water heater has a lifespan of about eight to 12 years while an electric water heater has a lifespan of around 10 to 15 years. These numbers are calculated based on regular and annual maintenance, including flushing. Without doing so, your water heater might only last about five years, which isn’t a very long time at all.
Sediment buildup also means that your water heater will go through more wear-and-tear, requiring more repairs than should be expected. Take a gas water heater. Sediment buildup can lead to hot spots, which can cause the heater to corrode and actually leak. Regular maintenance can prevent problems like these from coming up.
Improved energy efficiency
Sediment buildup can cause your water heater to work harder due to various issues. Gas heaters can corrode and electric water heaters can simply sputter and fail. In both cases, your water heater will be working harder, meaning more money spent on bills to keep your home comfortable. Regular flushing means your water heater will be working more efficiently, saving you money in the long run.
Shorter recovery time
Recovery time refers to the period needed for the heater to fully recover once you’ve used up all the hot water. Typically recovery time can be between 30 minutes to two hours depending on the type and make of the water heater. Less efficient heaters, those bogged down by sediment, can take longer than normal, causing the recovery time to double or even triple.
Quieter operation
Older water heaters can make a lot of knocking and banging noises when they have a lot of sediment buildup. During operation, bubbles form in the water that rise to the top of the heater. When they rise, they move the sediment out of the water, causing the banging noise you hear. You can have a quieter water heater by flushing the sediment, avoiding the noise.
Golden Home Management
At Golden Home Management, we understand if you don’t want to spend your weekends figuring out how to flush your water heater – or any of the other dozens of items in your home that need regular maintenance. Our customers received a dedicated home concierge who not only coordinates and handles all of your standard home maintenance, but also helps with the bigger renovations you want to undertake without requiring you to handle all of the stressful details. Call us today to schedule your FREE home assessment so we can craft the perfect maintenance plan for you.