4 Practical Ways to Protect Your Water Heater During Winter

plumber using a wrench to make adjustments on top of a hot water heater

There is nothing more inconvenient than encountering a damaged and malfunctioning water heater just when you need it the most.

As the cold winter month is fast approaching, you must ensure that your heating unit is in top shape and working condition so that you can stay comfortable indoors, especially when you take a shower.

You must be wary if it’s not supplying you with enough hot water, producing strange noises, or having some obvious visual signs of damages. The best course of action here is to check your water heater as early as now, just before the cold season officially starts.

In this article, we will share four practical ways to protect your water heater during the cold months:

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1. Inspect the water temperature

The initial step is to check the thermostat to see if it is set to the right temperature. Keep in mind that the ideal temperature must be between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to save up on your monthly bills, you may reduce it to a lower temperature instead.

However, if you badly need hot water on certain days, you can increase it, but just be sure that you don’t exceed it to 125 degrees, as this can cause alarming issues to arise.

2. Insulate the water heater pipes

The pipes attached to your water heater can be the most vulnerable during winter. When exposed to the cold weather, they may distribute very chilled water or, worst, get frozen. For these reasons, your water heater will need to work harder than usual to continue producing hot water.

Not only will this impact the system’s overall efficiency and lead to skyrocketing monthly bills, but it will eventually give up. Because of this, insulating your pipes to protect them from the cold weather will be your best option to prolong their efficiency and lifespan.

3. Check the pressure relief valve

It’s worth knowing that a water heater consists of a pressure relief valve. This safety device opens and releases pressure if your heating unit becomes over-pressurized. For this reason, be sure to inspect it by lifting the valve halfway and ensuring it snaps back into place automatically.

If it doesn’t, you will need to get in touch with a professional technician to check and fix the valve before it leads to more severe issues.

4. Flush your system

Regular upkeep of your water heater is imperative. In fact, HVAC experts recommend that it must be performed at least once a year. Part of the overall maintenance equation is to flush out the system annually, as doing so eliminates the sediment buildup on the tank’s bottom that can cause rust, clog the drain valve, and even reduce the amount of water it can hold.

When it comes to its annual upkeep, it’s best to contact a highly reliable professional technician to perform the needful.

Conclusion

At this point, you now know how to protect your water heater during winter. As outlined above, all it takes is to inspect the water temperature, insulate the pipes, check the pressure relief valve, and flush your system.

To that end, be sure to hire a professional service to have your water heater repaired or maintained before and after winter. By doing so, you’ll ensure it will work optimally and efficiently during the cold season and last the whole year round!

Are you looking to have a hot water heater repair in Kelowna to get it ready for the winter? Let our licensed technician handle your heating system as we provide a handful of services, such as heating, air conditioning, gas fitting, and plumbing services for residential and commercial properties. Get in touch with our friendly team to request a job estimate!

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