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Water Heater Maintenance

Water heater maintenance may not seem important when you've got a system that seems to function well every day, but you’ll wish you’d kept up with a regular maintenance schedule on the day your water heater decides to break down out of the blue, leaving you without access to even warm water. BZ Dependable Plumbing & Heating empathizes with any homeowner who loses their hot water, if even for an hour or two, which is why we always strongly recommend our customers create a regular water heater maintenance plan. We've seen how doing so can save a lot of grief and inconvenience down the road.

We've been helping homeowners in the Bergen County, NJ area keep on top of their regular water heater maintenance for years. Our water heater technicians know all about the proper care of water heaters and they will perform any necessary service during a maintenance visit. We pride ourselves on being able to help homeowners avoid problems associated with forgotten or poorly undertaken water heater maintenance.

Maybe the most obvious question to ask is – do you know where your water heater is located? Don’t laugh, the answer isn't as obvious as you think. It could be in a closet or utility room or in a basement near the boiler. Knowing where it is can save you a lot of time in searching during emergencies. Now do you know what types of problems to keep an eye out for? For example, do you know the root cause of hot water heater leaks?

Two main causes are corrosion of the tank and leaky valves – namely pressure relief valves. We recommend that you occasionally check for any visible rust or corrosion around the bottom of your water heater tank. A build–up of sediment from mineral deposits can usually breakdown the steel tank after several years, causing leaks to occur. A slow leak can cause structural damage to floors or damage to nearby equipment or furniture. You may think that a tiny leak would not cause much damage, but hot water tanks usually hold between 40–60 gallons of water at all times, which is a lot of water to have leak in to your home.

A leaky pressure relief valve can occur when there is too much pressure in the tank – usually because the thermostat has been turned up too high. Check for moisture or drips and consider turning down the thermostat. Water heater thermostats are often set to 140 degrees by default, when you can actually set them to 120 and never notice a difference, other than the savings on your energy bills.

Here are some other components you should take the an occasional look at between professional maintenance visits:

  • Loose drain valve
  • Gaskets and washers
  • Loose fittings

When the time comes for your regularly scheduled maintenance, our Bergen County area water heater technicians will check all of these components and more. Call BZ Dependable today, whether your water heater has been neglected for years or it’s simply time for your annual check–up. Our technicians have the tools and skills needed to keep your hot water heater running properly for as many years as possible.