As you prepare your home for fall in the Edwardsville area by cleaning gutters, trimming trees and checking your roof, add draining your water heater to your to-do list. Many people forget to inspect their water heaters periodically, and an ounce of prevention this fall could save you from headaches down the road.
There are several reasons you may want to consider flushing and draining your water heater.
- Hot water supply: If it seems your supply of hot water has been decreasing lately, first check to make sure your water heater isn’t leaking. A water heater that isn’t leaking but seems to have less and less hot water might have mineral deposits that have decreased the unit’s efficiency. Draining, flushing and refilling the water heater will help flush out any mineral deposits that are leaving you in the cold.
- Strange noises: Water heaters that bang, gurgle and pop may have developed water heater scale, a buildup of dissolved hard-water minerals that have recrystallized and caked onto the heater’s interior surfaces. Those banging sounds come from chunks of scale floating inside the tank.
- Basic maintenance: Occasionally, the scale will be too large to pass through the drain valve or build up so much on the heating elements that the heating elements will have to be replaced. By draining and flushing your water heater every few months, you keep it running more efficiently for longer by discouraging the growth of mineral crystals.
As you get ready for the fall, don’t forget this important step, especially if your Edwardsville area water supply is particularly rich in minerals or comes from a well. Or contact us at Ernst Heating & Coolingto help you get your water heater ready for fall.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Ernst Heating & Cooling services Hamel, Illinois and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!