Maintaining your water heater

INCREASING YOUR WATER HEATER'S SERVICE LIFE AND PROVIDING ENERGY SAVINGS!

The maintenance of an electric water heater is within everyone's reach provided you follow the manufacturer's guidelines. However, you may ask your installer for a biennial maintenance contract if possible. It is highly recommended for thermodynamic and solar water heaters.

A REGULAR MAINTENANCE IN THREE STEPS

Regardless of the type of technology, three operations must be carried out regularly:

  1. Operate the pressure relief valve's draining lever to avoid jamming, in case of scale deposits. Ideally, do this once a month.
  2. Drain your water heater tank (or ask a professional to do it) at least every two years in areas with hard water. This action allows you to get rid of scale deposits on the heating element. Caution: do it by hand without abrasives nor chemicals. Do not forget to change the gasket when reassembling.
  3. Check the electrical connections, the state of the electric wires, the thermostats and other regulation devices.

FOR THERMODYNAMIC AND SOLAR WATER HEATERS

For thermodynamic water heaters, add dust removal for filters at least once a year to the procedure list. Caution: a refrigeration certification is required to control the tightness of the circuit containing the refrigerant (needed for the heat pump to operate). For solar water heaters, check the cleanliness of the solar collectors installed on the roof on a regular basis. Generally, no intervention is needed; rain washes out dust and other deposits.