Your Water Heater: How A Few Minutes Of Attention Can Extend Its Life

Schedule Now

Whenever it happens, a water heater never conks out at an opportune time. Most likely, you find that you don’t have any hot water when you’re taking a shower, or you go to the basement to do the laundry and you discover a pool of water. Then you have to call the plumber and get a new tank.

Fortunately, you’ll need a replacement later, rather than sooner, if you regularly take a few minutes to tend to your water heater. That few minutes can extend its life — and save you energy dollars.

Over the life of your water heater, sediment accumulates at the bottom of the tank. Too much buildup can keep the tank’s drainage system from working properly, cause your water to become discolored and even corrode the tank.

To properly maintain your unit, first test the pressure-release valve. It’s a brass fitting on the top of the tank. It’s designed to open automatically when the pressure in your tank rises. If the valve doesn’t release when you lift the lever, replace it.

Next, drain your water heater. If you have an electric water heater, turn the breaker off.

  • Connect a hose to the drain valve, and run it to a bathtub, utility sink or perhaps outside your home.
  • Slowly open the shutoff valve so that the water runs into the utility sink, bathtub or outside. The water will look rusty and sediment-filled.
  • Run the water until it’s clear — this should take five to 10 minutes — and then close the shutoff value and disconnect the hose.
  • Keep in mind that you won’t have hot water for a few hours.

This very easy maintenance can help to keep your water heater working efficiently for many years. For information about water heaters — whether you need a repair or replacement, contact Apollo Home Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. We serve homeowners in greater Cincinnati.

Image via Shutterstock.com

Schedule
Call
"Ernie & Mike did a superb job on my new furnace and A/C installation. Despite having more than a day’s work to do, they came in and stayed until the job was done. They were organized, efficient, and protected the rest of the house well. Got both furnace and A/C installed the same day. Ernie was courteous, informative, and clearly knew his job better than anyone I’ve encountered before. The units look so good guests now get The Tour of our new system. Apollo is clearly not a fly-by-night company. I would recommend them to anyone in need of a new furnace and/or A/C."
- Jerry A.
"I called Apollo because of a water leak I thought I had in our upstairs shower going into the kitchen. Robbie came and assured me everything was fine & looked at all the other plumbing. He ended up changing a few pipes for our washer & clearing a drain. He was very nice & knowledgeable with all my questions. I ended up signing up for the care plan & was very happy with my service."
- Cassandra B.
"The team at Apollo exceeded my expectations. As a business owner, my attention to the details and commitment to providing excellent service is high. From the sales rep. to the installation team, everyone’s performance was outstanding. For example, the installation team went to great lengths to protect our floors, placing floor runners and across the wood floors and up the stairs. They even were spot washing walls upon their departure. I highly recommend this company."
- Randy B.
"We scheduled an estimate AND a tune-up. We knew something was wrong with our furnace, but hoped we could make it through the rest of the season. Upon telling Bill what our furnace was doing, he warned us immediately what the possible outcome was going to be; a cracked heat exchanger. He watched the flames roll backward, tested carbon monoxide levels, which were so high they meter’s last reading was 5,600 before saying “high”. He immediately shut it down, tagged it, and explained that with levels that high and children in our home he wanted off right away. He continued his inspection and showed us via a camera that not only was it cracked in multiple places, but had holes all over it. He gave us a few options for repairing it; his knowledge as well as genuine concern was beneficial and refreshing. Luckily we also scheduled an estimator, Micah, to come too and we were able to get costs between repairing and replacing (with several options). We decided to replace with a much higher efficiency furnace and one sized properly to our home. Hands down, not only did they both provide us great service and knowledge, but without sounding dramatic, they may have saved our lives. This was our first time calling Apollo, but it won’t be our last."
- Sarah B.
"Apollo is an excellent company. I always receive great service. Alex A. was professional and friendly. He kept me informed during the process of checking my furnace and heat pump to make sure they were working properly. The company makes sure you are notified who is coming and when they are on the way. All my interactions with the company have been wonderful."
- Beverly S.
    Read Reviews
    Image

    Financing

    Learn More
    Image

    Apollo Care Plan

    Learn More