Maintaining Your Water Heater

We understand your water heater may be easy to overlook. It is often tucked away in the garage or, more common to the Houston area, unless you’ve had an upgrade, nestled into your attic, making it very difficult to get to and even more difficult to maintain. Pickett Plumbing has a few tips and tricks to keep your hot water heater running efficiently and for everything beyond these hints, you can call for our expert help.

Adjusting the Temperature

Every homeowner should know how to adjust the temperature on their hot water heater. Some families may want to adjust to have it a little warmer during the cold months. Other families may want to turn it down when they have small children coming to visit. Whatever your hot water needs are, this is an important skill for you to have. Depending on whether you have a gas or electric water heater, you will need to locate the thermostat. Most gas heaters are easy to adjust manually. Electric water heaters will often need the power turned off first, then turned back on after you adjust the thermostat to your favored setting. You may want to wait an hour or so to check your temperature. Some water heaters take longer to cycle through than others.

Checking the Pilot

Checking your pilot light is important for hot water and for the health and safety of your family and anyone who enters your home. This only applies for gas water heaters. Know where your access panel is ahead of time and have your Pickett Plumber show you how to easily open it when installing or working on your water heater. If there is no flame, turn off the gas supply valve and wait for excess gas to dissipate before attempting to light the pilot again. If you cannot light it or you find the pilot light is frequently going out, contact our team to see what the issue may be.

Insulation

You want to protect your hot water heater from extreme cold with insulation. Some tanks are sized where a neoprene or similar sleeve can be used for light insulation. While you are working on covering the tank, you will also want to pay attention to pipes that may need to be insulated against cold weather, so they are less likely to freeze.

Regular Servicing

Water heaters need regular servicing to check for loose valves, leaks, or wear and tear that may need attention. While tankless water heaters need less routine maintenance, even they should be checked once a year. Pickett Plumbing offers all the help you need with your water heater and members of our VIP Club receive routine checks and regular maintenance. Additionally, even if you have a concern late at night or on the weekend, we are happy to come out and see if we can get you back on track right away.

For water heater needs throughout the Greater Houston area, contact Pickett Plumbing to set an appointment today. From helping you with a suspected leak, a hot water heater that isn’t warm enough, or finding a green solution for your growing family, Pickett Plumbing can cover it all.