The middle of another super hot summer may not be when you’re thinking a lot about your water heater, but you should be. Fall is around the corner, and those crisp mornings that call for warm showers will disappoint if your water heater can’t keep up. Your water heater is the powerhouse appliance of your plumbing system, responsible for nearly all of the hot water used in your home (your dishwasher might heat its water). That’s a lot of responsibility – you could do maintenance tasks to help it.
Your water heater is vital to your plumbing system.
Turn Down Water Heater Temp
Water heaters have a built-in thermostat that you can set. In many cases, they are automatically set to about 140 degrees, but the reality is that 120 degrees are adequate. Temperatures of 140 degrees are too hot for safe use in a home.
Fix Leaks In Water Heater
Plumbing leaks are a huge culprit in lost hot water. If you’ve done everything else and still don’t have enough hot water, it is time to check for leaks. Fixing those leaks will give you more hot water, improve your water pressure, and save money on your water bill.
Insulate The Pipes
If you’re finding that you don’t have as much hot water as you need, you may be losing heat on the way from the heater to the fixture. The easiest way to remedy this is by insulating the pipes. By protecting the lines, you help the water to retain its heat as it moves through the plumbing system, so it is hotter when it comes out through the fixtures. This is especially important for any pipes that go through crawl spaces or other uninsulated areas of the building.
Drain The Sediment
Tap water has minerals, and over time those can precipitate out. The building up of these materials can fill containers if it is allowed to continue. Your water heater is the most common place you will find this build-up in your plumbing system. Over time, the sediment can take up so much space that you heat way less water than you think each time the tank fills.
A RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PLUMBING COMPANY YOU CAN TRUST
Alpha Plumbing is a full-service plumbing and contracting company serving the Baltimore and Annapolis metro area with expertise in all aspects of plumbing. We’ve been family-owned and operated since 1991 from our office in Pasadena. We offer quality plumbing services at reasonable rates in a timely fashion. Our trucks are equipped with G.P.S. systems to ensure we’re prompt and on time. No job is too large or too small! We maintain a fleet of well-stocked trucks and also own and operate our own backhoes for jobs requiring excavation.
For more information and to get a free no-obligation estimate, you can contact us on our website, send us an e-mail, or give us a call at (410) 255-5998.