A water heater is an important part of your home that can last for decades. However, no matter how careful you are with it, it will eventually need to be replaced because it will start leaking or stop working altogether. Water heaters are notorious for leaking and causing damage to your home. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent this from happening. If you live in a house that has one or more of these traits, then it's important to know about them ahead of time so that they don't lead to water damage at some point in the future.- Read on to learn more about water heater maintenance and prevention tips.- Read on to learn more about signs of wear and tear that indicate that it's time for a new water heater.
Your water heater needs to be properly maintained in order to prevent leaks and other issues. The most important maintenance task is to check the anode rod every six months or so to ensure that it's still in good condition. The anode rod is an important part of the water heater that helps prevent corrosion – and it's also visible to the eye as it's usually a green color. If the anode rod is no longer in good shape, it can start leaking water from the bottom of the tank. If you're not sure what an anode rod is, it's best to contact a water heater repair technician who can check it for you and make any needed repairs.If you want to avoid a water heater repair technician in the future, it's a good idea to learn how to change the anode rod on your own. However, if you're inexperienced with water heaters, it's probably best to leave it to the pros.
If your water heater is leaking or not producing enough hot water, it could be that it's not properly installed. For example, if your water heater is on an exterior wall and the wall has been recently repainted, the paint could be damaging the water tank. If your water heater is on the ground and there is standing water around it, it's also possible that the water is seeping into the tank and damaging it. The best way to check if your water heater is installed properly is to look at how the water pipes connect to the tank. If they're leaking or not connected properly, it could be leading to a lot of problems with your water heater.- Be sure to check the water pressure as well – a high water pressure could be coming from a nearby fire hydrant, which could be leading to problems with your water heater.
A water heater that's been leaking will often lead to rust and corrosion on the inside of the tank, as well as the surrounding pipes and fittings. If the water heater has been leaking for a while, it's likely that the tank itself has already been corroded and is in need of replacement.- Corrosion can be prevented by installing a corrosion inhibitor in the tank. Corrosion inhibitors come in a variety of forms: Some are liquids you mix with water in the tank, while others can be placed in a feeder pipe that connects to the tank.- Corrosion can also be prevented by coating the inside of the tank with pipe insulation. If you're in the process of buying a new water heater, you can ask the technician to coat the inside of the tank with pipe insulation.
A water leaking from the bottom of the tank indicates a faulty water main. If you have a leaking water main, you'll need to dig up the street and replace the broken pipes. If you have a leaking water main outside your home, you can also have the main pipe dug up and repaired. If the leaking water main is inside your home, you'll need to repair the pipe that connects to the water heater. To do this, you'll need to shut off the main water valve that's connected to the tank. If the water main is in the street and it's not directly connected to the tank, you'll need to shut off the water supply to the home.If you're not sure what's causing the water leaks, it's best to call a water main repair technician. However, if you live in a house that's been around for a while, you'll probably already know which water main is faulty. If that's the case, you'll want to fix it as soon as possible to avoid more serious problems.
A water heater can last for decades, but it will eventually break down and need to be replaced. You can prevent this from happening by properly maintaining it and checking for signs of wear and tear like leaks and corrosion. A leaking water heater can cause a lot of damage, so it's important to know what to look for if yours starts to show signs of wear and tear. If you live in a house that has one or more of these traits, then it's important to know about them ahead of time so that they don't lead to water damage at some point in the future.- Read on to learn more about water heater maintenance and prevention tips.