Minerals and other components in your water can lead to build-up in your water heater, wasting energy and causing stress on the unit. Especially in homes with well water, there may be a high level of mineral content, which can build mineral formations inside your water heater. This build-up may be making it harder for your water heater to do its job, and can eventually lead to its demise.
Problems With Mineral Build-Up
The minerals in your water can often settle at the bottom of your water tank, eventually creating mineral formations inside the tank itself. Along with these formations, a layer of build-up can create a type of insulation between the heating elements and the water. This can make it harder for your water heater to do its job, using more energy and costing you more money. In addition, this excess heat can transfer to the surrounding metal tank, causing it to be more susceptible to leaks.
These mineral build-ups happen all the time, especially in homes with hard water. However, there are ways to reduce the strain to make your water heater last longer. The best advice is to have routine maintenance performed on your water heater at least once a year, which includes draining the unit and removing this excess mineral build-up that can put such a strain on your water heater.
Your local plumbing professional can perform a full annual maintenance service on your water heater, usually increasing the life of your water heater. This can save you the expense of needing a water heater repair or replacement, as well as save you on your energy bill.
Posted on behalf of Seagraves Plumbing
