Understanding the Importance of Flushing Sediment from Your Water Heater

In many homes, the water heater is the most frequently replaced major appliance. Average service life can be up to 12 years — or as few as five or six. Two main factors influence the life expectancy of water heaters:

• The hardness (mineral content) of the local water supply.

• Annual maintenance including flushing the tank.

The hardness of water in the Tulsa/Broken Arrow area varies from “moderately hard” to “hard” on the national water hardness scale. While this mineral content is harmless to humans, it can shorten the life of water heaters and raise monthly costs substantially.Heated inside the water heater, dissolved minerals precipitate and sink to the bottom of the tank, forming an increasing layer of sediment. Sediment accumulation absorbs heat from the burner, causing the burner to run longer cycles. Energy consumption spikes and monthly bills increase. In addition, sediment in the tank and extended burner cycles degrade the integrity of the tank and liner, triggering leakage that requires early heater replacement.

Flushing the tank yearly removes sediment while it still can be removed—before it becomes rock hard. The process is doable for most people, or a local plumbing professional can handle it while also verifying safe water temperature, testing the pressure relief valve and looking for signs of leakage. Here's how flushing the tank can be done:

• Turn off the heater at the gas valve and shut the cold water inlet valve on top of the tank.

• Connect one end of a garden hose to the tank drain valve and place the other end outside in the yard.

• Open the drain valve and allow the tank to drain. Holding open the spring-loaded pressure relief valve also admits air into the tank and expedites draining.

• After the tank is empty, turn the cold water valve on and off rapidly several times to flush out remaining sediment.

• Close the drain valve and remove the hose.

• Open the cold water inlet valve and follow manufacturer’s procedures to re-light the heater.

Ask the professionals at Air Assurance about annual service to extend the life of the water heater and ensure optimum efficiency.

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: “Minerva Studio/Shutterstock”

Water Heaters: For Some Households, Tank Types Work Best

There are a variety of water heater options available to any homeowner when it’s time for a replacement. While tankless water heaters have many benefits and are becoming more popular, the conventional tank water heater is still often the best option for your home because of the following reasons.

Massive capacity. Running out of hot water in the middle of needing it is the worst. This is a problem rarely encountered once you have a properly sized tank water heater, which can store anywhere from 20 to 120 gallons.

More affordable. Tank heaters are by far the cheaper option when compared to tankless units. If you had a tank heater in the past it will also be easy to put in a new one, whereas tankless heaters often require some extra work to be done.

Good range. There are no issues providing hot water to any number of outlets in your home with a tank heater. On the other hand, a tankless heater must be installed close to the point of use, which means that big homes often need multiple units.

Consistent Flow. It’s easy to get frustrated if the water pressure from your taps consistently varies. Since tankless heaters have a limited capacity, this is a major problem in many home. A conventional tank heater on the other hand has a large reserve capacity, which means that water flow will largely be uninterrupted.

Easy to maintain. Tankless heaters may take up less room, but can often be difficult to access to maintain or repair. Your tank heater is accessible enough that all parts are easy to inspect, clean and fix if needed.

If you’re unsure of the best type of water heaters in your Broken Arrow home, feel free to contact Air Assurance for help.

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). 

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Water Heater Sizing, Installation, Maintenance and Operation Tips

Are you looking at buying a new water heater? Make sure it’s the right size first. Then, become familiar with tips for installing, maintaining and operating your water heater for long-term savings.

Water Heater Sizing

Even if your last tank seemed to do its job well, don’t assume it was the ideal capacity. To size a new water heater, add up how much hot water your household consumes during the busiest hour of an average day. This is your peak-hour demand. Find a water heater with a comparable first-hour rating (FHR) printed on the yellow Energy Guide label.

Different fuel sources deliver different FHRs in relation to the tank size. As a general rule of thumb, one- to two-person households need about a 40-gallon electric or gas water heater while a four-person household may need a 50-gallon gas water heater or up to an 80-gallon electric water heater.

Installation

To maximize efficiency, install the following items along with your new investment:

• Aerating, low-flow showerheads and faucets

• Water heater and piping insulation

• Drain-water waste recovery system to preheat cold water entering the water heater

Maintenance

Neglect your water heater and it may last less than a decade. Take good care of it and it could last 20 years or more. Follow these maintenance tips to lengthen the life of your investment:

• Flush the tank twice a year.

• Inspect the pressure relief valve and have it replaced if you spot corrosion or rust.

• Remove and inspect the anode rod and replace it if six inches or more of the core wire is exposed.

• Inspect the combustion chamber and flue vent on gas- and oil-fired units.

• Remove and check the heating elements on electric units.

Operation Tips

Save energy and money with these tips:

• Set the water heater to 120 degrees instead of 140 degrees.

• Repair leaky faucets promptly.

• Take shorter showers.

• Only run the dishwasher and clothes washing machine with full loads.

• Set the water heater to vacation mode when you leave town.

For help on water heater sizing for your Broken Arrow home, please 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). 

Image courtesy of Shutterstock