For most people, the holiday season means hosting various dinner parties and having out of town guests staying overnight. The fun part of this time of year is spending quality time with loved ones and making memories to last.
Often this means that the plumbing appliances and fixtures of the hosting family will see a big increase in volume of use during this time of year. This means that it is more important now than any other time of the year to be kind to your plumbing system.
One appliance that is heavily relied upon during the holiday season is the water heater. Your water heater is responsible for supplying hot water to all of your guests for their showers and grooming, hot water in the kitchen for you to use in the meal preparation and dishwasher, and hot water in the washing machine for washing all of the linens, towels, and clothing that is being used.
Having a malfunction in your water heater during the holidays could be devastating, and would most certainly bring all tasks to a halt. Do these few things to protect your water heater during the holiday season:
- Wrap an insulated blanket around it. Many home improvement stores carry insulated blankets that are specifically designed for your water heater. These blankets are meant to protect the water inside of the tank – that has already been heated – from cooling off due to the outside temperature.
- Have a plumber come out and inspect your water heater before your guests arrive. A main component of your water heater is the pressure valve. This is the valve that releases steam from the tank so that the seam doesn’t burst open. A professional plumber will be able to check the pressure valve to make sure that it is working properly.
- Talk with your plumber about having your water heater flushed. This should be done once every year or so to eliminate calcium build-up from hard water.
It is not unusual for many people to only see each other during this time of year because of distance. With technology, cars, and airplanes families live much further apart than they used to. Make your visit this year a good one by ensuring that your water heater is protected.