Maintaining your Hot Water Heater and Saving Money

The majority of us like to take a hot shower, especially as the outside temperature starts dropping. That is why it is so painful when your water heater breaks. However, if you live in the Tri-County area, FLAME Furnace promises to give you hot water by 5 p.m. if you call by noon.  

Even though FLAME offers this great deal, it is best to keep your water heater working. Here are some tips for maintaining your heater: 

• Have your water heater inspected every couple of years. This will ensure that any little problem can be fixed before it becomes a big problem!
• Drain a gallon of water from the tank every three months to prevent sediment from collecting on the burners. This also saves energy because built-up residue makes the water harder to heat. 
• Also, having a technician replace the anode rod every five years is a good idea. This rod is one of the defenses water heaters have against corrosion from hot water. The rod gets beat up so that the tank will stay good. The rod helps maintain your heater, but having it checked or replaced will ensure an even longer life for your water heater. 

Other energy-saving ideas include lowering the temperature to 110 or 120 degrees and adding your insulation to the tank to ensure minimal heat is lost by using a fiberglass blanket or even a kit from a hardware store. However, many tanks, especially Bradford-White, already have a sound insulation system.

These were just some tips to ensure that your showers stay warm and that you are not spending all of your money to keep it that way.