Accessories to Make Your Water Heater More Efficient

One of the unsung heroes in your home is the hot water heater. It is always there for you when you want to get your dishes clean or when you want a nice, hot shower. While you might not have thought of it, there are some things you can do purchase to make your hot water heater work even more efficiently (and reduce your bills) or add some extras for making maintenance easier.

Hot Water Heater Stands

If you are like most people, your hot water heater is in your basement. This means it is either located in some back corner of an unfinished basement or in a utility closet in a finished basement. These areas can get cluttered with all manner of liquids that can leak or spill. If any of these things are flammable, then they could start a fire. A hot water stand raises your tank up off the floor and keeps the heat source (gas or electric) away from any spills that can cause issues.

One word of caution: If you are preparing to replace an existing hot water tank and wish to purchase a stand for your new one, this can affect the height of your plumbing and venting for your unit. Contact an HVAC professional to assist with these changes in order to make sure that your tank fits right.

Expansion Tanks

When water is heated, it expands. That means if your tank is full of cold water that gets heated, some can spill out. All modern hot water tanks have relief valves that will prevent damage to the tank. An expansion tank is an added step that will hold the water instead of letting it spill out on your floor as expansion happens.

Water Heater Blankets

These specially designed blankets are intended to be wrapped around your hot water tank. They provide extra insulation to the tank to prevent the water that is inside from losing heat as quickly. This means less cycling of your tank to keep the water hot. Less heating from your tank means a reduction in your energy bills.

Water Heater Pans

If you decide not to get an expansion tank, another option for controlling overflow is a water heater pan. These are placed underneath your hot water heater in order to catch any overflow water that might come out of the expansion valve. The water can then be drained out through a floor drain or nearby sink via a hose that comes out of the side.

Timers

A timer can be wired into your hot water tank that will prevent the tank from turning on unless the timer specifies. This means you can control precisely when your tank is going to operate reducing your energy bills.

If you need to repair or replace your water heater, or are simply interested in these accessories, then click here. Within moments you will receive free quotes from reputable contractors in your area, all without giving any sort of contact information.