It is indeed a boon to have your own hot water system. It ensures that you get running hot water every time you want a warm shower or feel like de-stressing a bit. It makes life easier because you are not constantly boiling hot water for washing your clothes or cleaning your oily utensils. And thanks to the automated systems available these days, you really don’t have to shut the hot water system at all. But there are some vital maintenance tips that you must adhere to. Doing so is important for your home and your safety. So here are some factors that you should keep in mind to prolong the life of these devices and make them more functional and durable-
Keep checking for cracks or wearing
You should keep looking for cracks and wearing on the pipes and the appliances. And this should be done at least once a month. For this, maintain a sheet or a chart where you go and inspect the leakage on the pipes, your geyser and also the water gauge. Doing so will barely take you 5 minutes, but in the long run, you can avoid accidents and mishaps in the future. It also implies that you know when to replace your hot water system. If it seems to get into bad shape, it is time to call your handy-man and check for faults.
Shut off system when away
Another important aspect that you should keep in mind is turn off the device every time you are away, even if it is for a few hours or days. What happens here is that you usually think that there are really no worries about leaving the hot water system on for the entire day or even for a week because it is automatic. But the thing is it is still running when you are not there. So along with the electricity being used up, you reduce the shelf life of the heater by making it run when it is really not needed. So avoid doing this and save electricity and gas by turning off the same.
Always inspect the relief valve
This relief valve is the tiny little rescuer that is ideal for emergencies. Whenever you install your hot water system or get an old one, it is essential that you check the manual. Here, you get the tank picture or image along with the location of the relief valve. Basically, this is a valve used for relieving off excess pressure from the tank. Doing so will ensure that the tank works properly and this should be repeated every 6 months.
Check out for gardening damage
A problem often ignored is the gardening job around the house that causes damage to your pipes. When you run the maintenance of your garden, ensure that the trees or the other plants are not causing heavy dent or cracks on the pipe. The same applies for the mowers and other related heavy devices.
Call handyman as needed
Another aspect here would be to call the plumber as needed. This is very crucial because the more you delay the repair of your hot water system the worse the damage is going to be. Efficient and smooth running can be ensured via contracts and regular services to provide longevity to the system.
Replace system in 5 years
Another thing that most experts swear by is that you should try to change your hot water system every 5 years. This works well in most cases, because by this time corrosion might have done its damage in spite of the best care.