Water Heater Care And Information
Water heaters provide the utmost luxury commodity we all take for granted on a daily basis, hot potable water at the turn of a handle. Regardless if your home has an electric or gas fired tank or tankless water heater, they will all fail at one point or another. Failure is inevitable, but maintaining your water heater can extend its life granting more time to save for a replacement. Whether you perform this maintenance yourself, or sign up for WPP’s home maintenance plan, you can expect to extend the life of your water heater up to 5 years.
What sized water heater do I need in my home?
Ensuring you have a water heater properly sized not only by the size of your home, but also to adequately meet the hot water demand for your lifestyle, is among the most important factors regarding the longevity of your water heater. Too small of a water heater and the demand will exceed the production rating. When this happens the unit will be forced to operate for longer durations than designed for and will wear down the internal components faster than desired. Conversely, installing a larger than required water heater is counter intuitive as more energy will be required for the ignition source to maintain a greater amount of hot water within the tank. The home will have more than enough hot water, but the wasted energy will be very noticeable on your next utility bill. To ensure your home has an adequate supply of hot water, call us at 360-602-9072 and we will send a qualified plumber to help determine the best solution for saving you time and money while giving you the best long lasting option available.
Can I replace my existing tank water heater with a tankless unit?
Taking the leap into tankless water heaters is a fantastic decision for most homeowners. Not only is it investing in your home, but the energy savings pay for the cost of the water heater within 3-5 years on average. In addition to the energy savings is the unlimited hot water supply without interruption. As amazing as these units are, there are installation requirements that must be met that a lot of homes with existing tank units do not meet. One of the most common requirements that cause issue is a proper ignition source. Whether fired by natural or propane gas, the fuel piping must be properly sized at the unit connection and throughout the home. If improper sized piping is present, or not present at all, additional modifications to the home will be required to meet the manufacturers requirements. Proper exhaust and intake piping must be installed as well, and may not be compatible with existing induction heater venting. If the tankless unit is powered by electricity, modification to the electrical panel may be required depending on the existing electrical wiring present.
There are many more situations that can prevent the practical installation of a new tankless water heater in your home. The best way to find out if your home is a qualified candidate for a tankless unit is to give WPP a call at 360-602-9072 to schedule one of our highly qualified plumbers to inspect the location of your existing water heater in your home and present your with the best options available.
How long do water heaters last?
Standard water heaters can be expected to have a lifespan of between 10-12 years before requiring maintenance or replacement. Tankless water heaters have a tendency of lasting upwards of 20 years. These numbers vary greatly depending on how well your unit has been maintained and your home’s water quality. Due to water contaminants, scaling the inside of the water heater tank can occur and lead to heavy corrosion of the internal components causing the water heater to work harder while trying to provide optimal results. The best way to ensure your water heater and other water related appliances reach their full life expectancy is to address the biggest issue limiting their lifespan, your water quality. Adding a water treatment system specifically tailored to your homes requirements is the most effective way to increase the longevity of your water heater, washer machines, faucet stems, aerators, shower valves, and copper piping. To learn more about the benefits of in home water treatment and systems installed by WPP, click here.
How often should maintenance be performed on my water heater?
Maintenance should be scheduled with your plumber on a revolving 6 month schedule at a minimum. Your water quality can shorten required time between maintenance and also require more than two visits per year. Flushing and draining your water heater on a regular basis prolongs the life of your water heater when done correctly by your licensed plumber. Removal and replacement of corroding components of the water heater will also ensure the internal components of the tank remain in their highest working condition. After signing up with any of our home maintenance plans, all of these concerns are addressed at every scheduled appointment to prevent further damage. If you see the value in prolonging the life of your water heater and putting off the replacement bill as long as possible, ask your plumbing professional about enrolling in one of our home maintenance plans at your next appointment. As a kicker, every plan we offer gives you an instant 10% off any service provided by WPP and you become a preferred customer every time you call.