Your water heater is the workhorse of your home, providing heated water for bathing, laundry, washing dishes, and cooking. And although you can expect it to last for a decade or longer, regular maintenance can extend its lifespan – and prevent unpleasantly cold showers and a watery mess in your basement. If it’s been a while since your heater has had a tuneup, here are some good reasons to make that appointment today. 

How Annual Maintenance Helps Your Water Heater 

1. Improved Efficiency 

Keeping your hot water heater in good working condition increases its efficiency, helping to lower your energy bills while still providing the same amount of hot water. For instance, regular maintenance helps remove calcium deposits that can settle on the bottom of the tank.

In time, these deposits can damage the heating element in electric heaters; in gas heaters, calcium deposits can also cause hot spots that will damage the tank itself. At the very least, flushing and cleaning the tank to remove calcium and other contaminants help the water heat faster, reducing energy usage. 

2. Increase Water Volume

Every hot water heater can hold a specific amount of water. However, without proper maintenance, mineral deposits can build up to the point where they reduce the amount of water that can fit in the tank.

In time, this not only reduces the availability of hot water when you need it, but also increases your costs, since the heater has to work longer to heat all the water you need. Regular maintenance ensures you get the full capacity of your water heater. 

3. Avoid Surprises

When you have a busy lifestyle, you might not always notice a problem brewing in your water heater until it’s too late, and it fails. Although there may be signs that your heater needs service, such as banking or knocking sounds, or water that’s not heating as well as you expect, regular maintenance can keep minor issues from becoming major ones.

Instead of calling for emergency service to restore hot water – and dealing with the cleanup that comes after a tank failure – maintenance provides peace of mind that you can count on the appliance when you need it. 

If it’s been a while since your hot water heater was serviced and flushed, schedule service with Northern Water Treatment, Inc. These Minneapolis, MN-area plumbing professionals have 50 years of experience providing a wide scope of services, including installation and repairs of water heaters, sump pumps, piping, and fixtures. Call (763) 274-1476 to make an appointment, and visit their website to learn more about maintenance services.