We’ve talked about this before. Our water heaters are stuffed into a dark corner in the basement, shoved into a closet we never go into, or even worse, in a shared space that we’d much rather have for our own personal use, like the laundry room! But what do you really know about your water heater? Here are some quick facts that you may not know.

Heating your water is the second largest expense in households and accounts for 14% to 18% of your utility bills.

Electric water heaters are on average more expensive to operate than gas powered water heaters.

When water enters your tank, it is typically 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Do not set the temperature above 120 degrees Fahrenheit. You can suffer a serious burn within three seconds at 140 degrees. Pro Tip: If you find that you need to turn up your tank temperature above 120 degrees to get lukewarm to moderately hot water, this is a sign that your tank is aging and you need to replace the elements.

To extend the life of your water heater, flush out the sediment at least once a year. (Or more often for commercial and high use tanks, such as those in homes with a large family.)

The average tank is 2” wider than then tanks that were manufactured 10 years ago because they are now insulated on the inside to maintain a higher efficiency.

So now you know a little bit more about your water heater. When you perform yearly maintenance you can add years to the life of your tank. Call the Red Seal plumbers at Blue Moon Plumbing for your annual tank flush!