Standard hot water heaters tend to last between eight and 12 years in the average home, and while this has a lot to do with the water quality in your area, taking care of your water heater is also a big factor. To make sure your water heater doesn’t give up the ghost this winter when you need the hot water the most, use these tips to make sure yours is in tip-top shape.

• Drain a quarter of your hot water tank two to three times per year. Doing this will help you get rid of sediment and debris that will naturally build up in the bottom of the tank. You can do this by simply connecting a garden hose to the drain valve and allowing the water to run until it comes out clear. Draining a quarter of the water in your tank will also make operation quieter.
• Insulate an older unit with a fiberglass jacket to make it more efficient, especially in the winter months. If you use a fiberglass jacket, make sure it doesn’t touch the flue. Owners of water heaters less than two or three years old you can skip this step since new units are already optimized to be as efficient as possible without any sort of covering.
• Make sure you put your unit in ‘vacation’ mode if you’re going to be leaving town for more than a day or two. Vacation mode allows your unit to stop producing hot water continuously, reducing stress considerably. It will also save you money to take advantage of water heaters that have a ‘vacation’ mode.
• Get a professional checkup at least once per year. If you didn’t get your unit checked out during the summer or spring, having a professional look at it right now can make sure that small problems don’t turn into big ones. Avoiding professional tune-ups can cost you a lot more than the service call.

Contact Powers Heating & Air for more information about making sure your water heater works properly all winter long. We proudly serve Peachtree City, GA and the surrounding areas.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Peachtree City, Georgia and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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