Stay Warm
- August, 2016
- Chris Buchanan, Professional Inspector
Something as simple as draining your water heater annually may prevent you from a chilly shower this winter. You need to drain your about a quarter of the water in the tank at least once a year, more if your water is problematic, to flush minerals and sediment from the system.
Always follow the recommendations of the manufacture: In general, the procedure is to turn off the cold water supply to the water heater, hook up a garden hose to the drain valve and run it till the water is clear. If the water is cloudy, open the cold water valve, and drain the tank again.
Adjust the thermostat to 120 degrees. You’ll save up to 5% in energy costs for every 10 degrees you lower the temperature.