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Routine maintenance can extend the life of your water heater
This week, Bay area plumbers fielded calls of leaking water heaters after the drop in temperatures likely stressed the tanks. FOX 13's Ariel Plasencia reports.
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - This week, Tampa Bay area plumbers fielded calls of leaking water heaters after the drop in temperatures likely stressed the tanks.
"Hot water will expand the tank. As it leaves the tank, it kind of retracts. So cold water coming in causes like a quick retract," John Monks, the owner of JJM Plumbing, told FOX 13. "And if there's any type of damage at the bottom of that tank, or it's not in the greatest shape, it will create some leaking, little hairline cracks on that tank itself."
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On Wednesday, crews with JJM Plumbing responded to customer calls in Pasco County. In some cases, they replaced old, leaking water heaters with new ones for homeowners in New Port Richey.
What they're saying:
The general lifespan of a water heater tank is around 10 years, according to Monks.
However, routine maintenance will help extend the lifespan of your water heater. Experts recommend flushing out sediment, which can build up in your tank, once a year.
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"We leave the water into the tank on, and we hook a hose up to the bottom drain, and we turn it on. So that way, you're getting that 55 PSI to kind of force all the initial sediment out," Monks said.
What you can do:
As the weather warms up, experts recommend focusing on routine maintenance before the next cold snap arrives in the Bay Area.
"Plumbing is kind of out of sight, out of mind thing, and you don't really know until you don't have hot water, or you got water everywhere," Monks added.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered through an interview with John Monks with JJM Plumbing.