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Water heaters aren’t something most of us think about at all—or not until they aren’t working, at any rate.  But water heater maintenance is worth doing to make sure you don’t have many times when yours doesn’t work.  What do you do for water heater maintenance? You ask.  Well, there aren’t a lot of things, but there are a few things you can do.

The first water heater maintenance step to take is to adjust the temperature of your water heater.  The ideal temperature for a water heater is 120° Fahrenheit, unless you have someone in your home who is elderly or very young.  For those circumstances, you want a lower temperature so you don’t scald anyone who has more sensitive skin than average.  You also want to be careful if you have someone with a compromised immune system because they can also be extra sensitive to temperatures.

Adjusting the temperature so it stays at an optimum level will benefit you keeping your gas or electric bill lower.

To that same end, look into insulating the water heater itself or at least the pipes; keeping the water warm with less reheating is the same as money in the bank.

To extend the life of the heater, you will want to drain and flush it occasionally. Although advice varies, once per year is the typical interval for optimum water heater maintenance.

While you are doing the deeper maintenance, checking the anode rod is also a good idea. Some models of water heater had anode rods that were faulty, and the water heater companies replaced the rods.  If you are the original owner of your water heater, and if you registered your appliance, you would likely have been notified. Otherwise, you may need to check yours occasionally to ensure it is still in good shape.