{"id":805,"date":"2018-10-08T11:00:52","date_gmt":"2018-10-08T15:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.margoplumbing.com\/blog\/?p=805"},"modified":"2018-10-04T09:52:27","modified_gmt":"2018-10-04T13:52:27","slug":"when-to-get-your-water-heater-checked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.margoplumbing.com\/blog\/water-heater-service\/when-to-get-your-water-heater-checked\/","title":{"rendered":"When to Get Your Water Heater Checked"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"water-heater-beyond-maintenance\"A question we hear all the time is \u201cWhen should I have my water heater inspected?\u201d While most things in plumbing are a little complicated, we\u2019re pretty straightforward with this one:<\/p>\n

Maintenance should be done annually.<\/p>\n

There are various tasks that are performed during an annual maintenance, and many problems that can be prevented if caught early on by a Montclair plumbing company<\/a>. We\u2019ll go through what those are in today\u2019s post.<\/p>\n

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Annual Services<\/h2>\n

We don\u2019t condone that amateurs handle these maintenance tasks on their own. So if you\u2019re not the one doing them, then who is? Here are just a few of the services you can expect during an annual maintenance check.<\/p>\n

Water Tank Flush<\/h3>\n

The water tank will gradually collect sediment as time passes. Unless you have your plumbing system running through a reverse osmosis filter, it\u2019s not something you can avoid. And, frankly, it\u2019s not necessary that you avoid it, either. However, that doesn\u2019t mean you can ignore the buildup.<\/p>\n

Sediment buildup needs to be flushed out of the tank annually. Too much sediment in the tank can create efficiency issues, popping noises, and even create the conditions that will burn a hole in the tank.<\/p>\n

Temperature and Pressure Valve Inspection<\/h3>\n

These two valves are vital to prevent your water heater from facing disaster, such as a burst tank. Since your water heater tank is essentially a big container of heat and pressure, you can imagine how that might get dangerous if it gets out of control. Luckily, these two valves will activate if the heat or pressure levels get too high, thus saving you from a costly replacement.<\/p>\n

Of course, that\u2019s only possible if they\u2019re in good working order. A maintenance check will assure that.<\/p>\n

Anode Rod Inspection<\/h3>\n

The \u201csacrificial anode rod,\u201d as it\u2019s sometimes called, is one of the lines of defense against your water heater\u2019s destruction. It turns out that the water inside your water heater is highly corrosive to the tank, thanks to various minerals in the water. However, the magnesium-based anode rod manages to attract these corrosive elements toward it instead, thus saving your water heater.<\/p>\n

Anode rods dissolve and need to be replaced after about five years, but it doesn\u2019t hurt to check on it every year.<\/p>\n

Problems That Can Be Prevented with Annual Maintenance<\/h2>\n

So what kind of problems can maintenance actually prevent?<\/p>\n