Hot water is one of those indispensable aspects of modern living that we absolutely need to make daily functions as comfortable as possible. From your morning shower to cooking, cleaning dishes, and laundry, there’s a long list of tasks that require a steady flow of hot water.
Despite being a crucial factor in every home, neglecting maintenance on your hot water system can see you needing the emergency plumber Melbourne locals trust for all things plumbing. This post takes a closer look at the top reasons why regular hot water system maintenance is crucial.
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Understanding How Often Hot Water Systems Should be Maintained
When asked how often your hot water system should be maintained, the correct answer is never, “As soon as it shows signs of being faulty.” Rather, how often your hot water system should be maintained depends on a few crucial factors. These are listed as:
- Type of system you have
- Manufacturer recommendations
- Water quality in your area
- Age and previous maintenance history
While there are several types of water heaters on the market, the general rule is to have the system checked and serviced every 2 years. When planning your servicing schedule, it’s essential to follow the specific manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines for accurate and safe servicing.
This will ensure that your water heater continues working the way it’s supposed to. Additionally, regular servicing also keeps the system’s warranty active.
Regular Maintenance is Key to Functionality
As with any other appliance or gadget in your home, your water heater also needs regular maintenance to function optimally. Our team of experts has compiled a list of the top reasons why you shouldn’t wait for your water heater to be faulty before you maintain it.
1. Reduces Potential Future Repair Costs
Hot water systems are one of those items that usually come with a hefty price tag when they develop an issue. This is because a hot water system’s issues usually start out as a small issue that, without maintenance, develops into a much bigger (and more costly) problem.
You can avoid having to deal with high repair costs by doing regular maintenance, which will easily identify minor issues before they escalate. Replacing a single component, such as a thermostat or heating element, will be significantly cheaper than replacing the whole water heater.
2. Increases the Lifespan of Your System
There’s no set standard for how long your hot water system will last. Its overall lifespan will depend on factors such as frequency of use, overall maintenance, and the type of system you have. On average, a good quality hot water system can last between 8 and 20 years.
However, it’s worth noting that not maintaining your hot water system will dramatically reduce any system’s expected lifespan. Routine maintenance ensures that worn components are changed out when they need to be, and this, in turn, reduces potential damage to other components.
3. Sustains Energy Efficiency
Many Australian homeowners are upgrading their older hot water systems to modern, energy-efficient models. Here, it’s crucial to point out that energy efficiency is only sustained if the system works at its optimal best, which means it needs to be maintained.
Rust, wear and tear, as well as sediment buildup, are all aspects that can reduce the overall energy efficiency of your hot water system. When your hot water system becomes inefficient, you can expect to see an increase in energy consumption, which eventually leads to higher utility bills. Regular maintenance will reduce the likelihood of this happening.
4. Keeps Your Hot Water System Safe to Use
When your hot water system becomes faulty, it doesn’t just shut down, and that’s the end of it. Rather, neglected systems often pose extensive safety hazards such as overheating, leaking, or even gas-related issues.
All of these factors can endanger the people in your home as well as put your property at risk. Having a fully functional and safe hot water system will ensure that the unit is working the way it’s supposed to.
5. Maintains the Warranty
If your hot water system is still within its warranty period, you’ll want to do everything right to ensure that you remain covered for as long as possible. Being able to make use of the warranty in the event of an issue will go a long way to saving you money on potential repairs.
Keep in mind that most manufacturer warranties require professional installation, which should then be followed up by routine maintenance. Neglecting your allotted maintenance may render your warranty null and void.
Final Thoughts
Routinely servicing your hot water system is essential to keeping it functioning properly. Other key reasons to maintain your hot water system are that you’ll keep your warranty active, reduce potential long-term repair costs, and also sustain energy efficiency.
The good news is that your local plumber will easily be able to perform the maintenance for you as part of your annual plumbing maintenance. It’s the simplest way to keep the hot water flowing when you need it!
