One of the most overlooked appliances in your home is likely your water heater. It sits, likely behind some type of door, for year after year, thanklessly heating up water while you ignore it completely. Until, of course, the moment you step into your shower, turn on the hot water . . . and nothing but cold comes out. Then the panic ensues, a plumber is hastily called, and a few hours later you have a new water heater in Portland OR.
Unfortunately, this is a common scenario, but one that does not need to happen as often as it does. Water heaters need maintenance. If you will take a bit of time every few months to ensure that your water heater is being tended to, then it will last you longer and will not need to be replaced as often. If you do not know how to maintain your water heater, find out. A plumber will be able to give you detailed instructions. Another possibility is to find instructions either in a book of home maintenance suggestions or to look on line. There are multiple sources that will tell you how to maintain your water heater in Portland OR, but most of them will tell you the same things, maybe in different ways.
Your water heater should be drained every year. This gives you a chance to drain out all the sediment and minerals that have collected in the bottom of the heater and start taking up all of the space where the water should be. All of those minerals are harsh on the inside of your water heater as well, so it is good to get them out of there. Obviously, each water heater will be a bit different, but the general idea is that you turn off the power to the water heater in Portland OR, turn off the intake valve so no more water is flowing into the tank, and then drain the tank by attaching a short hose to the faucet at the bottom of the tank and running it to the drain nearby and letting gravity take care of the rest. Once the tank is drained, you simply refill it, turn the power back on, and you are done with yearly maintenance.
Of course, you also need to ensure that the vents are clean, that the pipes going in are well-maintained, and that you have your water heater safely secured, but if you even make the effort to maintain it once a year, it will last longer for you.
Maintaining Your Water Heater in Portland OR
If you can maintain your water heater Portland OR, you won’t have to replace it as often. Since a good water heater in Portland OR can be expensive, this is one easy home project that should become a habit.
