At San Clemente Pronto Plumbers, we know that replacing a water heater is not something that homeowners want to do every few years. That’s why it’s important to maintain these plumbing appliances to ensure that they work as intended for as long as possible. The average tank water heater has a lifespan of 15-20 years with regular maintenance. Here are some maintenance tips to help you avoid unexpected hot water heater replacement.

Foster Longevity by Insulating Your Water Heater

Older water heaters can experience heat loss, which leads to poor performance and wasted energy. Homeowners can combat these problems by insulating water heaters. This simple act that only needs to be done once to have lasting results. Contact a San Clemente plumber to help you with this maintenance task.

Have the Anode Rod Checked

The anode rod is a designed to prevent the heater’s tank from rotting out. A tank that has a damaged rod or a missing rod will quickly corrode the tank. Repairing a damaged rod is always more cost-effective to replace than to buy a new water heater.

Flush the Tank Annually

While insulating the water heater is something that you only need to do once, flushing the tank is something that needs to be done once a year. In some cases, you may need to flush the tank several times a year if you have untreated hard water. Hard water creates sediment that settles to the bottom of the tank where it can damage burners and corrode the tank from the inside out. Even if you have water that is conditioned, you should still have the tank flushed annually because sediment can get through the conditioning process.

Schedule Regular Maintenance

Best water heater maintenance practices include scheduling annual preventive care with your local San Clemente plumber. At San Clemente Pronto Plumbers, we offer a number of services that are designed to help you extend the life of your plumbing appliances.

Of course, no matter how well you maintain your appliance, there will come a time when you need to replace the unit. If that’s the predicament you’re in now, give us a call. We offer affordable, skilled hot water heater replacement in San Clemente, CA, for homes of all sizes. Call us today for more information!