31
Mar
The Dangers of Neglecting Service on Water Heaters
Maintenance is necessary on any asset you want to last a long time. You wouldn’t even dream of not having your vehicle serviced, for example. However, it is far too common for homeowners to skip annual maintenance on their water heater. Sadly, it can be dangerous to neglect service on water heaters. Here are a few outcomes that you can avoid with regular service:
- Fire risk- Malfunctioning water heaters can cause a fire. This has occurred at residential and commercial properties in the past and happens more often than you might think. You can have peace of mind that your family or business isn’t at risk by having water heaters serviced annually.
- Premature failure- Just as your vehicle would never make it to 100,000 miles without regular oil changes, water heaters do not last as long as they could without being flushed and serviced regularly. Tankless water heaters have an average lifespan of 20 years. A standard electric water heater averages between 10 and 15 years. A standard gas water heater averages between 8 and 12 years. In each of these cases, foregoing regular service can severely reduce the lifespan resulting in premature replacement.
- Water damage- Even smaller water heaters hold a fair amount of water. If the tank leaks, you could face quite a bit of water damage. If you don’t notice it right away, you could also need mold remediation.
- Efficiency- If your water heater needs service, it may not be performing as it should. The utility costs will be higher on water heaters that haven’t been inspected and cleaned.
