Having a water heater in your home is a continuing responsibility in terms of maintenance. If you don’t continue this maintenance into the cold season, you are likely to run into a host of problems including bursting pipes. With careful preparation, you can avoid these problems entirely.
Keep Heating Equipment Insulated
The biggest danger to any plumbing fixture during the winter is freezing. Steps to guard against this include insulating both the water heater itself and all associated plumbing. You can buy a blanket specifically designed to insulate your water heater. You can attach foam sleeves to piping to help insulate it as well.
Winterize You Water Heater if You Won’t Be Using It
If you won’t be in your home or commercial building during a stretch of the winter, you’ll need to winterize your water heater. For a traditional tank water heater, this typically means draining the tank and connected piping to prevent the water inside from freezing. To do this, follow these steps:
- Disconnect the tank’s power and water supply.
- Let the hot water cool down.
- Drain the tank.
- Flush the tan.k
- Replace the drain plug.
- Close the valves.
- Drain the plumbing lines.
Complete Basic Winter Maintenance
However, if you will be using your system during the winter, you’ll need to continue basic maintenance tasks to ensure everything keeps working properly. This means performing visual inspections for water leaks. Check all pipes and connections. This includes flushing the tank on schedule to remove any sediment that has built up. It also includes testing the pressure relief valve and ensuring the water temperature is set to no lower than 120°F.
Take Extra Measures During Emergencies
If the temperature will be extra low during a specific period, you may want to take the step of letting your faucets drip. This will keep water moving in the pipes, so it does not become stuck and freeze. Absolutely do this during a power outage when the threat of pipe freezes is even more likely. You may want to add additional heating options in the room to keep the water tank and piping at the proper temperature. However, to avoid a hazardous buildup of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, never run a fuel-based heater indoors.
If you live in Farmington, ME and need water heater services, give our team at A-1 Plumbing & Heating a call. We have over 20 years of experience serving the community. No matter what kind of water heater or setup you have, we can find the right solution.