What Does Typical Heater Maintenance Involve?

What Does Typical Heater Maintenance Involve?

27 February 2020
 Categories: , Blog


Most people know that they love hot showers, but very few of these people understand what the basics of water heater maintenance involve.

For this reason, residential water heaters are often neglected in relation to regular maintenance. They are often only considered when the system develops a fault, and the much-loved hot shower is no longer a privilege that their owners can enjoy.

For this reason, this article seeks to explore what is involved in the typical maintenance of a residential hot water system.

Inspection of Anode Rods

Anode rods are used in hot water systems that rely on tank storage for the provision of hot water. Because the storage tanks are usually made of steel, they are vulnerable to corrosion, seeing as their function exposes the tank material to constant wetness.

Anode rods are used in hot water storage tanks to attract corrosive elements in the water to the rod, thereby causing corrosion on the rod itself rather than on the tank. Thus, the presence of anode rods helps to protect the structural integrity of the hot water storage tank and to increase its lifespan.

The inspection of anode rods and their subsequent replacement is one of the main activities involved in the maintenance of residential hot water systems.

Tank Draining

Draining of the hot water storage tank is also another important maintenance activity carried out on hot water systems.

The water that is held in the system's storage tank is seldom 100% pure. Thus, it contains minerals and sediments that gradually get deposited on the floor of the tank. The presence of mineral deposits and sediments on the storage tank is known to make residential hot water systems less effective.

To get rid of sediments and mineral deposits, the hot water storage tank has to be drained and flushed with clean water from time to time.

Testing of Pressure Release Valves

The pressure release valve is an important safety feature in a hot water system. In the absence of this feature, it would be very easy for excessive pressure build-up within the tank to cause an explosion.

When there is too much pressure within a hot water system, the pressure relief valve is designed to open automatically in order to facilitate the removal of excess pressure.

A hot water system maintenance exercise cannot be considered complete if the pressure relief valve is not tested and found to be working as it should.

To learn more about plumbing maintenance, contact a plumber offering plumbing maintenance for property managers in your area.