Written on: July 8, 2024
Considering that your water heater is one of the hardest-working systems in your home, it’s a pretty low-maintenance piece of equipment. It’s true whether you have a traditional tank style water heater or a tankless water heating system. Unless you had an unexpectedly cold shower, you probably don’t think about it too often, but between bathing, dishwashing, and laundry, the typical household uses about 65 gallons of hot water a day. In winter, your water heater needs to work even harder—mainly because the air and water is colder.
The good news is that with a little routine care, your water heater can last longer and perform better—and more efficiently. Here’s what you need to know:
What the heck is an anode rod? The anode rod is an important tool to prevent corrosion inside your tank, where it’s hard to detect. It’s a steel wire surrounded with aluminum, magnesium or zinc that mounts inside your water heater tank and attracts corrosive elements to itself rather than the tank lining. As long as the rod remains intact, it will protect your water heater tank from corrosion, one of the main culprits that can cause a tank-style water heater tank to rust, develop leaks, and eventually fail.
Typically, an anode rod will last at least a few years, depending on the acidity of your water and how much water you use. Keep in mind that using a water softener can shorten the lifespan of your anode rod by half. A regular maintenance check from our service team includes a check of your anode rod and replacement if necessary.
With a tankless water heating system, there’s no need for an anode rod, because there’s no large water-storage tank. But you do need to flush the system once a year to keep your unit operating well and extend its life.
Flushing removes scale that can build up in the system, and it can accumulate more quickly in tankless units. Left unchecked, it will eventually affect performance.
If you have very hard water, you may need to flush the system twice a year, but it’s not hard to do. Some units (like those from Rinnai) will even remind you when it’s time to perform maintenance!
Most systems have flush kits installed that make it easy for you to run a vinegar solution through the unit in a loop. It’s not hard to do yourself, if you feel handy, and manufacturers provide easy to follow instructions, but the team at Marandola is always happy to take care of it for you.
Whether you’d like us to check your equipment or you’d like to talk to us about a new water heater for your Litchfield County home, Marandola’s pros are ready to answer all your questions. Contact us today!