The Stages Of Your Water Heater’s Service Life: Water Heater Repair and Maintenance | Universal City, TX
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At bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio, when our water heater repair team members respond to a call for repair or maintenance in Universal City, TX, we consider the stage of its service life that a water heater is in. For tank-based water heaters including traditional models and hybrid versions, that involves an expected lifetime of ten to fifteen years. For tankless, the possible lifespan of the unit can run to double that, or about twenty years. Along that timeline, various water heater repairs will be performed that will extend its functional life, such as heater or thermostat replacement, and certain preventive repairs and maintenance will ensure that it doesn’t fail due to avoidable issues such as tank pressure and weakening from corrosion. If those aren’t performed, the expected lifespan will be reduced. This perspective helps us inspect the unit and evaluate its condition for water heater repair purposes, and also allows us to provide information so the homeowner can budget for replacement before the time actually arrives when the unit is no longer functioning acceptably and the repair or replace decision is heavily weighted towards replacement.
The Early Years, When Maintenance Sets the Tone for the Future
Regular maintenance when your water heater is in its early years of service provides a good foundation for minimizing wear and corrosion, especially for tank-based models. The first maintenance visit is also a time to make sure the unit is running efficiently and on track to serve you well for a decade or more to come, or two decades for tankless models. It’s always a good idea to check important factors like the anode rod depletion, thermostat setting, heater or burner operation, and the temperature and pressure relief valve operation. Our water heater repair team is thorough, and we know that routine maintenance checks are always a good idea, even when there should be nothing wrong. In some cases, we may find that hard water is taking its toll on the unit even in the early years, especially by forming sediment, and our water heater repair experts can adjust the anode rod composition. They’ll select one more suitable for your water type, or even recommend water quality treatments to reduce water heater repairs in the future, and protect the rest of your plumbing and appliances as well. If there are any electric power or gas supply issues, they’ll tend to those as well.
Middle Years, with Occasional Repair or Adjustments as Well as Maintenance
Once a bit of dust has gathered on your water heater because it’s been serving you for a while, you may start to have a few occasions to call our water heater repair team to adjust the gas burner or service the electric heater. On hybrid models, it will be important to maintain and check the compressor, coils, and refrigerant used in the heat pump, and make sure everything is still in good shape. Unusual sounds from the unit, higher energy bills, and other signs that you may notice will help to make sure our team restores your unit to great shape. The same goes for tankless models, which may need an occasional sediment cleaning, since they eventually cease proper function when sediment builds up, and of course the vents should be cleaned regularly. If any error codes are appearing on the control unit, it’s important to tend to them. Careful servicing of your tankless unit contributes to its long lifespan, and our people will make sure your water heater receives it. If any sensors are starting to act up, our experts will locate them and replace them so that your system operates properly, sensing flow and supplying hot water promptly and keeping the temperature right.
Later Years and Concerns About What Problems Might Occur Including Leaks
A lot of the maintenance and water heater repair work is routine and repairs may even repeat over the long life of the unit. This can include things such as burner adjustments or anode rod replacement which tends to be needed every few years as it depletes as it serves its function protecting the tank. You may notice problems like an odor from your hot water when the anode rod is depleted since it also serves to discourage the growth of bacteria in the tank that can cause odors. Discolored hot water when your home’s incoming water supply is not discolored may be a sign of sediment issues in the tank, which can be reflected in a sizzling or bubbling sound from the tank as well. You might find that the protective valve is either leaking when it shouldn’t or leaking because it’s performing its function perfectly and relieving pressure in the tank that is too high. Either way, our water heater experts should take a look, either to help with the risky pressure rise or to replace the leaky protection valve that’s malfunctioning. If the pressure is rising, we’ll also check to see that the tank is doing all right, and not developing leaks itself since it’s reaching its later years of service.
Repair or Replace Decision Time
Maintenance is especially critical during the later years of your water heater’s service, whether it’s to service the protective anode rod and check the tank, or to make sure that the tankless unit is in good shape since it’s been lasting so long, usually without much trouble. At some point, you’ll face the “repair or replace” decision, though. Our technician who has been providing maintenance will have insights about the condition of the unit, and we can provide information on new, energy-efficient replacement water heaters and schedule a convenient installation appointment.
Your Plumbing and Water Heater Service Partner in Universal City, TX
Our water heater repair experts and professional plumbers at bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of San Antonio are here to help you get the most from your water heater and other fixtures and appliances in Universal City, TX. Call us today!
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