A hot water storage tank heater is defined as a combined heater and storage tank that supplies heated water to your home. Depending on the usage and the mineral content of your water, a standard water storage tank heater can last up to twenty years. The hot water heater tanks are mostly steel lined with either porcelain or glass. However, the primary reason these heaters fail is that the lining material deteriorate due to oxidization over time.

When these hot water heaters fail, it is due to the erosion of the inner liner section of the tanks. When this occurs you will notice water leaking out of the bottom of the tank. At these times a repairman may be able to repair the tank but, any repair will be temporary at best.

Hot water storage tank heater maintenance is important to get the longest life possible out of your unit. In spite of your efforts, if you have high mineral content in your water supply the tank will fail. If proper care is taken of these tanks then the lifespan can be extended by several years. There are some useful ways to help extend the life of these heaters.

Extending the Life of Your Hot Water Tank Heater:

Insure that your plumber has installed an expansion tank. When water is heated between 60 degrees to 120 degrees, its volume is increased on an average by 2%. Since the tank is a closed unit and due to the presence of a valve (which prevents the backflow of water to the main supply) the pressure created by the increased water volume may damage the tank as well as your plumbing system. Setting up an expansion tank can help resolve this problem by allowing some of the heated water to transfer to these expansion tanks.
Clean and flush your hot water tank at least once a year. Regular flushing and cleaning the sediment from your water tank, especially if your water supply is high in minerals, can extend the life of the unit by removing the mineral buildup in the tank. The mineral sediment in the unit is the primary cause of hot water tank failure.

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