Know Your Water Heater
If your home uses an electric water tank heater, chances are you’ve heard “who used the last of the hot water!” hollered a time or two.
And if that’s the only time you think about your water heater, chances are you might need to get it replaced – because while it might not be on your mind, it is working hard 24/7 to provide the hot water used by your household every day. This puts a lot of wear and tear on your water heater, aging it fast – a year for you is more like 10 years for your appliance.
On average, a well cared-for water heater can serve you for about 12 of ‘your’ years. However, many factors can shorten that timespan, such as weather, maintenance and household size.
If you live in a colder part of the country, or even right here in Virginia during the winter, your water heater has to work overtime to combat the chilly climate. Always follow the maintenance instructions for your specific system, and ensure that that it is maintained annually. Not only will that extend the life of your water heater, but make it more efficient and prevent rust from taking over. The last factor in determining the lifespan of your water heater is the amount of people who use it- simply put, the more people who use hot water each day, is the more strain that is put on your water heater.
So, don’t wait for your water heater to break to start looking for its replacement. Start now, and take this quiz to see how much time you do have left: http://www.knowyourwaterheater.com/
If your results tell you the clock is ticking, consider replacing your electric tank water heater with a propane tank-less water heater from Phillips Energy. The energy savings of propane can be $120 per year in comparison to a standard efficiency electrical unit, according to the Propane Education & Research Council.
And that’s before any rebate programs you take advantage of.
Stop the hollering, and call Phillips Energy today.
