As the kids return to school and everyone eases back into their back to work routines, the leaves begin to turn brown and the nights get a little bit chillier. During the summer, you may not think about your hot water heater, but now that it’s starting to get cooler, it’s a good idea to put some thought into your hot water heater and how long it’s been since it’s been maintained.
In today’s households, hot water is an absolute must. You need hot water to wash dirty dishes, towels, linens, and whites. Nobody likes to start off their autumn day with an ice-cold shower – that’s one day to start the day in a bad mood. If you have children, it’s virtually impossible to get them to bathe unless you have nice, warm, comfortable water.
Obviously, hot water is an absolute must expense, just like water and electricity. So, the question is, how much do you know about your hot water heater? If you’re like a lot of homeowners you might say, “Not that much.”
If the water heater seems like an ornament in your garage or basement and you don’t know much about how it works, it’s time to get up close and personal with this much-appreciated appliance.
Getting to Know Your Hot Water Heater
Here is some basic information about hot water heaters that every homeowner should know.
- The first thing you should know is where your hot water heater is located in your home. Usually, hot water heaters are located in basements or garages. Once you locate your hot water heater, you should conduct a visual inspection every few months to look for signs of leaking, rust, or damage. The sooner you catch a problem, the sooner you can take care of it!
- What type of hot water heater do you have? If you don’t know, you want to find out. The main types are gas units, electric units, tankless, and solar.
- Locate your water heater’s user manual so you can learn what make and model it is. If a problem arises, you can turn to your manual to diagnose the problem sooner. Also, the repairs are different depending on what type of unit you have (gas or electric).
- Locate the shutoff valve for the water heater. This is important to prevent flooding if your unit is leaking because you can shut off the water heater without having to shut off the water to the entire house.
- Gas water heaters last about 6 to 8 years, while electric units last 8 to 10 years.
- The default setting for most hot water heaters is 140 degrees Fahrenheit, but the Department of Energy recommends setting a tank-based hot water heater to 120 degrees.
If you are having issues with your hot water heater, or if you’re interested in learning more about regular maintenance, please contact a Kansas City plumber from A-1 Sewer & Septic Service Inc.!
