Water Heater Maintenance Tips That Can Add Years to Its Lifespan

Why Maintaining Your Water Heater Is Worth It

A standard tank water heater costs anywhere from $800 to $1,500 installed. Most of them are rated to last 8 to 12 years, but plenty of water heaters in well-maintained Los Angeles homes are still going strong at 15 years or more. The difference almost always comes down to one thing: whether anyone bothered to do basic maintenance.

The tasks involved aren't complicated. Most of them take under 30 minutes and don't require any special tools. Here's what to do and when to do it.

Flush the Tank Once a Year to Remove Sediment

Sediment buildup is the number one enemy of a long-lived water heater in Los Angeles. Because our municipal water is hard, the dissolved minerals in it precipitate out and settle to the bottom of the tank over time. That layer of sediment makes your water heater work harder to heat the water, increases your energy bill, and can eventually cause the bottom of the tank to overheat and fail.

Flushing the tank is straightforward. Start by turning off the gas or electricity to the unit. Connect a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank and run the other end somewhere that can handle hot, sediment-filled water, usually a floor drain or outdoors. Open the pressure relief valve slightly to allow air in, then open the drain valve. Let it run until the water coming out runs clear. Close everything up, refill the tank, and restore power or gas.

If your water heater hasn't been flushed in many years, the drain valve itself may have caked with sediment and become difficult to use. That's a good sign that the job calls for a plumber.

Inspect the Anode Rod Every Two to Three Years

The anode rod is a piece of magnesium or aluminum that hangs inside your water heater tank. Its entire job is to corrode so the tank doesn't. It sacrifices itself, which is why it's often called a sacrificial anode. When it's depleted, the tank itself starts corroding, and once the tank corrodes through, the water heater is done.

Checking the anode rod requires shutting off the water supply to the heater and unscrewing the rod from the top of the unit. If it's worn down to less than half an inch thick or coated heavily in calcium, it needs replacing. A new anode rod costs $20 to $50 and can add years to the tank's life.

Check Your Temperature Setting

The Department of Energy recommends setting your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit for most households. That temperature is hot enough to kill most harmful bacteria in the tank while reducing the risk of scalding and saving energy compared to the 140-degree factory setting many units ship with.

If you have a household member who is immunocompromised, or if your dishwasher doesn't have its own internal heating element, 130 to 140 degrees may be appropriate. A plumber can help you think through the right setting for your household.

Test the Pressure Relief Valve

The temperature and pressure relief valve, often called the T&P valve, is a safety device designed to release pressure if the tank overheats or builds up dangerously high pressure. It's a critical safety component, but it's also one that often gets overlooked because it sits quietly and does nothing visible in normal operation.

To test it, put a bucket under the discharge pipe, then briefly lift the lever on the valve. You should see hot water flow out and then stop when you release the lever. If nothing comes out, or if it keeps dripping after you release it, the valve needs replacing before it fails in a way that's much harder to deal with.

Look for Signs of Corrosion Around the Unit

While you're doing your annual maintenance, take a few minutes to look at the pipes, connections, and the exterior of the tank. Small rust-colored streaks running down from a fitting, a slight mineral crust around a connection, or a damp smell in the utility room are early signs of a problem worth addressing now rather than later.

Know When to Call a Plumber for Water Heater Service in Los Angeles

If your water heater is more than 10 years old, making rumbling or popping noises (usually sediment burning), producing rusty water, or struggling to keep up with your household's demand, it's time for a professional evaluation. ProFlow Plumbing handles water heater maintenance, repair, and replacement throughout Los Angeles, from the Valley down to Long Beach. A tune-up now is far less expensive than an emergency replacement after a tank failure.