Get Better Water Heater Efficiency

There is a dirty little secret many plumbing companies won’t share with you because letting you in will mean less money to their bottom line. Here at S&K Pump and Plumbing we believe in partnering with our customers to make their plumbing equipment work at peak efficiency saving our customers time and money as a result. What’s the dirty little secret? It’s your water heater. If you don’t flush it once a year, dirt and sediment will build up on the bottom of the tank causing all sorts of problems for you not limited to contaminated water. 

If you’re a handy home owner you can flush your water heater’s tank yourself by following the instructions included in the owner’s manual. If you’re too busy and don’t want to deal with the hassle, call expert Waukesha’s plumbers from S&K Pump and Plumbing. A simple service call and we’ll have your water heater back to optimal function keeping your water hot, clean and energy efficient.

So what happens if you don’t flush your water heater? There are four areas of concern.

Performance

When a water heater isn’t flushed yearly by you or a professional Waukesha plumber, the bottom of the tank will begin to collect a sludge-like sediment on the bottom. This sediment is composed of oxidized iron, calcium, dirt and scale. If left long enough this sediment will begin to hamper the performance of your water heater. Performance will begin to decrease with the heater having to work harder to heat the water through the sludge, thus driving down efficiency and driving up your electric or gas bill. 

Water Quality

As the sludge-like sediment of rust, calcium, dirt and scale builds up in your water heater, it’s in direct contact with the water in which you bathe, drink and wash your clothes and dishes. This becomes a problem as the warm water and sludge mix makes for an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. Many people worry about the cleanliness of their municipal water systems without realizing the water heater in their home may be an actual breeding ground for contaminants to their water.

Energy Use

As stated earlier the more sludge your water heater has to work through to heat your water the harder it has to work thus increasing its need for energy. If your new water heater begins with an Energy Factor (EF) of .68 (minimum value needed to gain an Energy Star rating), you can only expect the value to decrease every year you don’t flush your water heater or have a professional Waukesha plumber from S&K Plumbing do it for you.

Malfunctions and Maintenance

When the nasty sediment on the bottom of your water heater’s tank is left to build up it can cost you a lot of money in repairs or replacement of the heater. When the thermal unit has to work extra hard to heat the water through this sediment layer, it can lead to the heater overheating, making unusual noises all day, shaking and rattling and even emitting a foul rotten-egg smell (sulfur). You can expect your repairs for these problems to be a minimum of $100 and well over $1000 if your water heater requires replacement. Avoid the hassle and frustration by hiring a Waukesha plumber to flush the heater once a year.

S&K Plumbing wants your home plumbing to run efficiently with little hassle.  To keep all of your plumbing running smoothly call Waukesha’s plumbers today to begin with an annual flushing of your water heater.