Your water heater is one of the most relied upon parts of your home’s plumbing system. It’s used for everything from cooking and cleaning to bathing and laundry. Given its importance, you want to make sure that you keep your water heater in good condition and properly maintained. An important part of this maintenance is water heater flushing.

Cleaning and flushing your water heater will help it to last longer and function more efficiently. Additionally, it will help to prevent clogs in your pipes, minimize the risk of damage from your water heater and make your water heater safer. Obviously, given these benefits, water heater flushing is one type of maintenance you don’t want to forget about.

To help you stay on top of this maintenance, today we’ll talk about some of the basics of hot water heater cleaning and how to know when your unit needs to be cleaned or replaced.

How Frequently Should Your Clean Your Hot Water Heater

Minerals and sediment are constantly building up in your hot water heater. If it’s not cleaned out, this can damage your unit, make it function less efficiently and create problems throughout your home’s plumbing system.

To avoid these problems, you should clean out your hot water heater at least once a year. An annual hot water heater flushing is the most important water heater maintenance that you can do and is an easy way to make your unit last longer and work better.

Signs That You Need to Clean Your Water Heater

Even with consistent annual cleanings, you might find that there are other times that your water heater needs to be cleaned.

Being aware of the signs that your unit needs to be cleaned can help you to avoid damage to your water heater and avoid a plumbing crisis.

If you find that you’re getting less hot water than usual, that’s often a sign that your tank needs to be cleaned. Additionally, if you see sediment in the drain valve or if you hear a rumbling or a banging sound, it’s probably time for a water heater flushing.

Does Your Hot Water Heater Need to be Replaced?

Unfortunately, even with regular maintenance, at some point, your water heater is going to need to be replaced. The average water heater lasts for 10 to 12 years.

While you don’t want to replace it sooner than needed, recognizing when it’s time to replace your unit before it goes out or starts leaking can avoid damage to your home and a plumbing emergency.

If you notice rust in your water, cloudy water, rumbling sounds even after cleaning, leaking from your tank or drain valve or lukewarm water, you should have your unit inspected. Being proactive can help you timely determine when it’s necessary to replace your hot water heater.

Doing so can make the installation process less stressful, less inconvenient and less expensive. Hopefully, these tips will help you with hot water heater maintenance. If you have any concerns about your hot water heater or need to have it serviced, call Cellino Plumbing, Heating & Cooling today at (716) 822-7551.