8 Factors That Can Affect The Performance Of Your Water Heater
Water heaters are a blessing when temperatures drop, but if your water heater breaks down, you will be forced to take a cold shower! There are 8 factors that affect the performance of your water heater and will make water heater repair in San Antonio, TX a necessity.
NEGLIGENCE:
Probably the most dangerous enemy of a water heater is neglect. Usually, water heaters are installed in the basement of houses and are easily forgotten as far as maintenance is concerned. If you haven’t paid any attention to your water heater, you should mark your calendar for a water-heater checkup in order to prevent damage that would arise down the road.
If water heaters are not maintained, leaks can develop in them. These leaks can destroy a heater externally. You can get the services of plumbers in San Antonio, TX for a checkup and maintenance of your water heater. If you observe any external corrosion on your water heater, you should soon call for a water heater repair in San Antonio, TX.
SEDIMENT BUILDUP:
Sediment is created when hard water is heated. It builds up at the bottom of the water heater’s tank and starts insulating the bottom from the protection of the anode. In gas water heaters, it causes the base of the water tank to overheat and melt away the protective glass lining, while in electric-type models, the lower elements get burned and buried in the sediment.
Sediment buildup should be a major concern for people because if it builds up too much, the warranty of commercial water heaters can become void. You should get periodic maintenance for your water heater and if there is any sediment buildup, you would also have to go for water heater repair in San Antonio, TX.
INTERNAL RUST:
An important aspect of the maintenance of a water heater is the upkeep of its sacrificial anode. For more than 60 years, it has been used as a key part of the rust protection of a tank.
Sacrificial anodes protect the inside of water heaters from rust, but with the passage of time, they cease to perform their function effectively. If they aren’t replaced when they have been thinned to the wire, tanks start to rust internally which can lead to leakages.
It is also necessary to point out that many times, water softeners speed up this anode’s depreciation. Normally, if you have a water heater with a 5-year-warranty, you can wait five years before you check up on the anode. But if you have a water softener installed in your house, you should check up on the anode sooner than five years.
You can also get yourself a powered anode. Either, check the feature before you buy a water heater or get the sacrificial anode changed later on. They are a permanent solution to sacrificial anodes and don’t get used up, and hardly require any replacement. A timely check on the sacrificial anode can prevent avoidable water heater repair in San Antonio, TX.
CORROSIVE FUMES:
Typical storage type water heaters draw air in for combustion and the quality of this air is actually important. Bleach fumes, ammonia and other acids near the water heater qualify as corrosive materials and can harm your water heater.
If the gas burner of the water heater draws in those corrosive fumes, the flame that will be created will also be corrosive. This will start corroding the base of the water heater.
Having corrosive materials and gas-type water heaters in a confined space concentrates the fumes and would prove to be even more damaging. Once the damages from corrosive fumes occur, your only option would then be a water heater repair in San Antonio, TX.
HIGH WATER PRESSURE:
This is a silent enemy of the water heater. If you have a water pressure gauge in your house, it would make the measurement of water pressure much easier. Many times, water heaters also incorporate a water pressure gauge in them. If you haven’t looked at this factor till now, you should definitely check it. If the water pressure gauge shows a reading above 80 psi then the water is already exerting more pressure on your water heater and piping than it should. If you have more pressure than the acceptable range, you should get a pressure-reducing valve or possibly an expansion tank.
The inclusion of an expansion tank will protect the pipes against damage from thermal expansion. The latter situation can help in case if a water heater fires up in a closed system to keep the water hot. If you don’t address this issue sooner, you might need a water heater repair in San Antonio, TX down the road.
SIZE TO NEED RATIO INCORRECT MPROPER SIZING:
Sometimes people end up buying heaters with the wrong specifications for their homes. Water heater manufacturers make different types of water heaters — according to their sizes and the number of people it can heat water for.
If you buy a water heater that is too small for the work it has been bought for, it will eventually break down due to constant expansion and contraction of the tank, even if the water pressure is under the normal limit. If your water heater faces wear and tear due to improper sizing, even a water heater repair in San Antonio, TX won’t be able to do much help because you have made a wrong selection to begin with.
TRANSIENT CURRENT:
This damaging condition can happen in houses that are not properly grounded. Excessive current or current from other sources can also reach the electric water heater or its piping and can cause corrosion over time.
In order to prevent this, one can connect the ground wiring to the incoming and outgoing piping of the water heater. Always remember that timely preventive measures save your water heater. If you are observing any damage to your water heater from this condition, you should look towards water heater repair in San Antonio, TX before things worsen.
THE TIME FACTOR:
Like all appliances, water heaters also have a life span after which they become inefficient. Water heaters that store water usually last up to 10-15 years while tankless water heaters live up to more than 20 years. If your water heater is at the end of its life span, you should replace it with a newer, more efficient model.
With timely maintenance, you will be able to minimize any unforeseen sudden water heater repair in San Antonio, TX. But sometimes, even with proper maintenances, emergencies do arise sometimes that call for water heater repair in San Antonio, TX.
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