Preparing for cold winter weather is an annual ritual for homeowners, whether it’s covering up your A/C unit, scheduling a furnace tune-up, ensuring your attic has enough insulation or installing snow tires on your car. However, there is another system that you cannot overlook.
You couldn’t live comfortably without your water heater, even if you don’t think about it often. Imagine having to take a cold shower on a chilly day – no thanks! So, do you know how to prepare your water heater for the winter?
Expert HVAC contractors recommend going through a winterized checklist for your water heaters to ensure their optimum performance. Here is the list that needs to be checked!
Flush It Out
Consider never thoroughly rinsing or washing a glass. Even if you continue to use it, build-up and sediment will form.
That’s exactly what happens in your water tank. Sedimentation can be caused by naturally occurring minerals in the water. This sediment can be difficult on your tank and reduce its efficiency, costing you more money on your monthly energy bills.
As a result, we recommend flushing your tank at least once a year. Make it a part of your winter water heater maintenance if you haven’t already.
Call professional HVAC contractors if you do not feel confident about doing this yourself. Simply turn off your water heater, allow it to cool, connect a hose to the drain valve, and find a location to drain the water, such as a bucket or outside. As you drain the tank, make sure to turn on at least one hot water faucet in the house.
Examine The Anode Rod
The anode rod and sediment buildup in your tank go hand in hand. Its purpose is to collect any corrosive elements in the water that could eat away at the tank’s lining. Consider it a magnet that attracts materials away from the sides of your tank.
Constantly attracting corrosive materials is taxing on an anode rod, causing it to deteriorate over time. If your tank is older than two years, we recommend having it checked by an HVAC company once a year. It will be replaced if it has missing pieces, calcium coverings, or is less than 12 inches thick.
Exposed Pipes Should Be Wrapped
Start your winter plumbing inspection with your exposed pipes. Locate the exposed pipes in your home and make sure they are either in an area where they will receive adequate warm air or that you insulate them.
To help you winterize your pipes, contact a heating and cooling company or a plumbing company. Insulate your exposed pipes to help retain heat and prevent freezing water, especially at night when the pipes are left unused.
Examine Your Water Pressure Release Valve
Water pressure reveals a lot about how well your plumbing is working. If your pressure appears to be lower than usual, this could be due to a leak or blockage. It is critical to notify a reliable water heater repairer of any problems as soon as possible.
It’s a pressure release valve for a water tank.
This is what keeps your water tank from bursting, and since winter is notorious for bursting plumbing, adding this to your winter water heater checklist is a good idea.
Also read: Water Heater Maintenance Tips For Fall And Winter.
We always encourage our clients to contact a water heater repair specialist at the first sign of trouble. When it comes to plumbing, something small almost always becomes something big if left unattended. Water pressure could signify something much more serious, and you won’t want to wait until the ground is frozen and snow is falling to figure it out.
Get Older Tanks Insulated
Older tanks simply aren’t as efficient as newer tanks, and they don’t always hold heat as well. It becomes even more difficult when the cold weather arrives.
You can buy fibreglass insulation ‘blankets’ for your tank to keep it nice and warm while not interfering with your morning shower. Make sure the blanket is not touching the flue duct. It is best to contact professionals to help insulate your water heaters.
You can also get pipe insulation to cover any exposed pipes; this is especially important if you live in an area where pipes freeze.
About Nor-Can Heating & Air
Nor-Can Heating & Air is an Edmonton-based HVAC installation, maintenance, and repair company. We are experts at offering our customers the best HVAC services, including installation, repair, and maintenance. If you need your HVAC system replaced or repaired, you can put your complete trust in us.
Need to get your water heater up to date? Contact us today, and we’ll make sure you get the best out of your system.
