10/10/2024
Top 5 Questions About Water Heaters:
1. How long does a water heater typically last? With proper maintenance, traditional water heaters should last 10-15 years, and tankless water heaters should last 15-20 years.
2. Can I install a water heater myself? Absolutely, you can! However, there are some things you might want to consider: Do you have all the proper tools for a change out? Do you know how to solder? Do you know how to do proper gas piping for power vent or atmospheric water heaters? Do you know how to do wiring for an electric water heater? So, yes, you can, but you need to do your homework to have a safe and working water heater.
3. How do I choose the right water heater size? Depends on a couple factors. The first one being, how many bathrooms are in the house. Secondly, how many occupants are in the house. We would suggest in a 1-2 bathroom house and 1-4 occupants, a 50 gallon water hear. For a 3-4 bathroom house with 4-6 occupants, we recommend a 75 gallon water heater. Anything beyond 4 bathrooms and 6 occupants, we would suggest a tankless water heater.
4. Are tankless water heaters worth it? The difference between tankless and traditional is tankless has instant hot water and you never run out of it, unlike a traditional water heater. Tankless typically lasts longer and more energy efficient than a traditional water heater, meaning it could potentially lower your gas and electric bills. However, there is more of an upfront cost for tankless water heaters.
5. Do I need to flush my water heater? If it is a brand new water heater, yes, it is a good idea to flush it once a year. You connect one end of a hose to the bottom of the water heater and the other end into a drain, and you turn on the valve. Once all the water has drained from the water heater, you can close the valve and disconnect the hose. This prevents sediment and calcium build up in your heater. However, if you have owned the water heater for more then three years, we would advise against it, because there might be to much corrosion and sediment in there and it might cause more damage if you try to flush it out.
