Water Heater Maintenance for Spring & Summer

Most homeowners don’t think about their water heaters until they step in the shower and get blasted with freezing water. While going swimming in cool water in the summer is a great way to relax and unwind, it’s not preferable for your morning shower. Here at RAM Plumbing in Tucson, we’d like to help you keep your water heater in good condition with summer maintenance so that you can avoid feeling like you are taking a shower using the water from your garden hose.

Gas and Electric Water Heaters

With proper preventive summer maintenance, gas and electric water heaters are designed to last between eight and fifteen years. This includes checking the internal components as well as the tank for leaks. Heating elements, burners on gas water heaters, anodes, and electronic components tend to wear out faster than the tank. For example, the heating elements in your hot water heater may burn out due to sediment and dissolved solids in the water, but everything else, including the tank, may be fine. In this instance, you’d need to replace the heating elements, not the entire water heater.

Spring and Summer Water Heater Maintenance

When the weather starts to get hotter in the spring and summer, you should think about having your water heater inspected by our experienced Tucson plumbers to prevent untimely failures and the need to take cold showers.

Corrosion Check

Corrosion occurs when metal parts come in contact with water, especially if it is water that has a lot of dissolved minerals and acidic water. Water heaters have an anode that attracts rust, preventing the inside of the water tank from corroding. When this rod wears out, it should be replaced. Otherwise, the tank could rust and start leaking.

Electrical Component Check

Circuit boards control modern water heaters, and these boards can wear out or corrode, resulting in failures. The wires that provide electricity to the circuit boards and heating elements can also corrode or become loose. Having these components professionally checked by our team of plumbers can help identify damage and wear and tear before they negatively affect your ability to have hot water in your home.

Internal Components Check

Along with the anode rod inside the tank, the hot water heater also has elements for an electric water heater and pilot lights, and heat exchangers for gas water heaters. You should check these components for buildup, corrosion and damage at least once a year. Let us know if anything looks worn or corroded, and our dedicated team can implement the best fix to keep the heater functioning optimally.

Flush and Refill the Tank

Sediment buildup in the bottom of the storage tank can cause overheating situations and result in your storage tank and/or elements corroding faster than anticipated. We can flush your unit to remove all the build-up sediment and refilled by our professional plumbers can help you get the maximum useful life from your water heater.