Purchasing A New Home? Make Sure Your Plumbing Company Inspects The Water Heater | Coral Springs, FL

Some innovations and inventions are clever. However, others change our way of life. A water heater is among those inventions that revolutionized modern life. During the old days, homeowners had to heat the water over a stovetop or fire whenever they needed to do laundry or bathe. Showering, forget about that.

Nowadays, you only have to turn on the tap, and the hot water will start pouring out. Without a water heater, life would not be the same. However, if the water heater malfunctions, you might have to heat the water yourself unless a plumbing company in Coral Springs, FL, promptly checks and repairs the unit.

Are you planning to purchase a home? Plumbing inspections are critical and more so a water heater inspection. Inspecting a water heater can help in averting a catastrophe. Below are some reasons why you should never skip a water heater inspection and what it entails when buying a new home.

A Checklist For Water Heater Inspection

Fuel Safety Inspection

One of the things that a water heater inspection entails is checking fuel safety. However, fuel safety inspections differ based on the type of fuel the water heater uses. In most cases, water heaters rely on either gas or electricity. However, each fuel type has its risks. Venting and fuel supply are the two main safety concerns regarding a gas-powered water heater. When you contract a plumbing company for a water heater inspection, they will check the integrity of the unit’s shutoff valves and gas lines.

Gas water heaters need proper venting via a vent line or chimney. A thorough water heating unit inspection checks all the vents to ensure that you won’t fall victim to carbon monoxide poisoning. Soot around the vents or flue is a sign of a dangerous condition.

On the other hand, the electric units require an inspection of pressure relief valves and the wiring. The pressure in the water heater tank may sometimes be too high and requires a place to escape. The other things that a plumbing company might inspect are the grounding and circuitry of the unit.

Proper Installation

Both tankless water heaters and conventional water heaters have specific installation requirements. The water heater clearances are different from one manufacturer to another. The plumbing company in Coral Springs, FL, knows the specific installation requirement of various water heaters because they have been in the business for some time.

Additionally, there are restrictions on where you can place the water heater at your home. They should be placed or installed along an external wall. Additionally, the flame of a gas water heater and sparking mechanism should be at least 18 inches above the flooring.

Water Heater Efficiency and Suitability

To ensure that your home always has enough heated water, you should ensure that the water heater has the right size.  Assessing the suitability of a water heater might vary based on the kind of water heater you have installed at your home. In determining the suitability of a water heater, you should consider the flow rate (tankless water heaters) and the temperature rise. Determine the rate of each hot water outlet to know the amount of time that your water heater should be running. You can have a plumbing company come over for a further inspection of the unit.

The other thing to consider is the temperature rise in a tankless water heater. Cold water enters the water heater at about 50 degrees Fahrenheit and leaves hot at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Some gas-fueled water heaters can generate hot water at 70 degrees Fahrenheit temperature rise and a flow rate of up to five gallons of water every minute.

To rate a conventional water heater effectively, you should consider the unit’s first-hour rating. That refers to the volume of hot water a water heater can supply per hour, starting with a full hot water tank. This information can be found on a label attached to your water heater. The other thing that you should consider is the peak demand. When do you use hot water the most? Add up all the various ways that the hot water is used simultaneously. Does this process seem complex? You can consult a reliable plumbing company to test the suitability and efficiency of a water heater.

Determining Whether It Has Had Routine Maintenance

Like other plumbing appliances, water heaters also need regular maintenance. This applies to both tankless water heaters and traditional water heaters. The first thing a plumbing company might check is whether there are sediment deposits in the water heater. These usually reduce the heating efficiency of the water heater. However, all the water heaters can benefit from annual flushing. Flushing the water heater helps remove these sediments and minerals from the unit.

Otherwise, the unit might begin overheating as soon as you turn it on upon purchasing the house. A plumber should also flush the tankless water heaters to limit the limescale accumulation and keep the water flowing. If the tankless water heater is neglected, it can clog. The plumbing service provider in Coral Springs, FL, might inspect the water heater for free when they come over for water heater maintenance.

The Anode Rod

The other component that the plumbing company should inspect before you purchase a home is the water heater’s anode rod. This is a component that protects the water heater tank from corrosion. If the anode rod is depleted, you might begin smelling a rotten egg odor from your hot water. The anode rode prevents the growth of anaerobic bacteria in the water heater tank. Additionally, the water heater tank might start corroding, becoming weak to the extent that it might spring, leak or explode.

The Top-Notch Plumbers

Are you planning to purchase a home? A plumbing inspection is something that you cannot forego. As you can see from the preceding, there are various inspections that a plumber can do to ensure the water heater is in a great state. Hence, you won’t have to pay for a depleted unit or one cannot even provide heated water. For a plumbing inspection before purchasing a home, call us at MainLine Plumbing, your licensed, reliable, and professional plumbing company.

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