Is Your Water Heater Ready for the Fall?

Soon the warm and sun-filled days of summer will give into the cold and dreary days of fall and winter. No longer will we be lounging in the heat of the sun, and instead we’ll be spending our time curled up under blankets watching the television while sipping warm beverages.

Just as we adapt to the cold of the autumn every year, so too does your home’s water heater. The changing of the seasons is a great time to inspect and perform maintenance on your water heater. As a Carroll County, MD water heater replacement specialist, we wanted to take some time today to talk about what you need to check on your heater.

Check for Safety

No matter what you’re talking about, safety should always come first. One of the most important things you can do to check the safety of your water heater is to check your TPR valve. The TPR valve (or the temperature and pressure relief valve) prevents the pressure in your tank from reaching critical levels and keeps your tank from blowing up. You can make sure that the valve is working properly by opening the lever and waiting for water to rush out of the discharge pipe. If no water comes out, you have a big problem on your hands and need to get away from the heater and contact a Carroll County, MD water heater replacement expert right away.

Check That Your Tank is Running Efficiently

An inefficient water heater only serves one purpose; to drive up your water and electric bills. That’s why it’s key that you ensure your water heater is running smoothly. Over time sediment can gather at the bottom of your tank, and all of this sediment makes it more difficult to heat the water. You should flush your tank annually to remove this sediment, and we think the transition from summer to fall is a good time to perform this task.

Another option to improve the efficiency of your water heater is to install insulation. Water cools off when it’s left sitting in the tank and when it’s on its way through the pipes. By insulating your tank and your pipes, you can remove or at least decrease this inefficiency. You can install an insulation blanket on your heater, and insulation sleeves on your pipes. If you don’t feel like this is something you can do yourself, then get some help from a professional Carroll County, MD water heater replacement technician.

Work With an Experienced Carroll County, MD Plumber

There is no teacher like experience, and here at Michael Runk Plumbing and Heating, we have plenty of it. We’ve been providing our plumbing and water heater replacement services to Carroll County and all of Maryland for years. Don’t go at this alone – get some help from a professional. Give us a call today!