Keep Your Appliance in Tip-Top Shape With Water Heater Maintenance

You may not give your water heater much thought until the shower turns cold, or a repair or replacement is needed. However, the water heater is an important appliance that is used daily in practically every home. Consider these water heater maintenance tips to raise the performance of your system and lower your utility bill.

Water Heater Maintenance

Regular maintenance helps your water heater operate safely and efficiently. When maintaining your system, remember that you're not only dealing with very hot water, but also high pressure. Water heaters have a built-in safety feature called the temperature and pressure (T&P) valve. This device should be checked at least every six months. Here's how:

• Turn off the electricity at the circuit box or turn the gas to pilot.

• Turn off the cold water inlet valve, which is located near the top of the water heater on the side. A pipe may extend from the valve to near the bottom of the water heater.

• Place a bucket beneath the pipe to catch hot water.

• Pull the lever on the valve. Air and hot water should rush out. If it does not, replace the valve.

• If you ever notice the valve dripping water, replace it.

Refer to your owner's manual for flushing the tank. Many manufacturer's suggest flushing the water heater twice a year. This is best left to a professional. In between full tank flushes, perform a mini flush every month. Place a bucket beneath the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and flush about one gallon of water. This helps remove sediment and preserve water heater lining.

Water Heater Efficiency

To help your water heater operate more efficiently, set the temperature to 120 degrees. You may also insulate the inlet and outlet pipes. Newer water heaters are well insulated to curb standby heat loss. If your water heater is warm to the touch, consider installing a blanket or jacket insulation.

If you have questions or would like to schedule water heater maintenance in your Broken Arrow area home, contact Air Assurance today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “thodonal88/Shutterstock”

A Homeowner's Guide to Troubleshooting Toilet Flapper Problems

A toilet that continues to run after the tank has filled with water isn't exactly a plumbing emergency, but it sure can be an annoyance. A running toilet also wastes precious water and increases your water bill. If you're tired of jiggling the toilet handle every few minutes and don't want to waste water, consider these tips for troubleshooting toilet flapper problems. 

Adjusting the Chain and Flapper

When you flush the toilet, a chain attached to the flush lever lifts the toilet flapper to release water into the toilet bowl. A properly functioning flapper will fall flush back into place on the valve seat when the flush is complete, and the tank refills with water.

Problems with the chain can prevent correct operation. If the chain is too long, it may lodge between the flapper and valve seat, which results in the handle-jiggling troubleshooting technique. Shorten the chain distance to the flapper one or two links. You may need a pair of needle-nose pliers to make the job easier.If the flapper doesn't fall flush on the valve seat, you may need to adjust the flapper at the hooks. If the flapper is off center, try rotating the flush stem a hair.

Mineral Deposits

Mineral deposits on the flapper or valve seat can cause water seepage into the bowl. If your toilet runs every 10 or 15 minutes, this may be the problem. Turn off the water at the water valve behind the toilet. Flush the toilet to drain the tank. Gently clean the flapper and valve seat with an old toothbrush or scouring pad.

Worn Flapper

Inspect the flapper for signs of wear. If the toilet flapper is more than five years old or there are signs of wear, it's better to just replace the entire flush valve assembly. However, dealing with toilet problems involves water, which can quickly turn into a mess. You may want to contact a plumbing professional.

If you need assistance troubleshooting toilet flapper problems or other plumbing issues, contact the plumbing pros at Air Assurance today. We've proudly served residents of the greater Tulsa metropolitan area for 30 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Anna Yunak/Shutterstock”