Having hot water readily available is a luxury many forget about until we don’t have it. Having your hot water take too long to heat up can be wasteful and increase both water and energy bills as your hot water heater tries to keep up with your demand. After years of use without regular maintenance, it can be normal to experience longer and longer heat-up times. This does not mean your water heater is necessarily broken, but if your water heater is taking too long to heat up you should definitely look into a few specific items to make sure your water heater is operating at maximum efficiency.
Water Heater Tank Sediment
Without proper, regular maintenance, sediment from your water supply (dirt, minerals, and more!) can collect at the bottom of your water heater – typically where the burners are. This sediment will build up and create a barrier between the burners and your usable water, not allowing the water to heat up to the appropriate temperature.
To remedy this issue, regularly draining and cleaning the tank will help remove sediment and allow your water heater to operate much more efficiently.
Water Heater Tank Insulation
Suppose your water heater is located in a room that isn’t temperature controlled, such as a garage or basement. In that case, your water heater may be losing heat to the cooler environment around it.
Upgrading your water heater to a modern insulated water heater to prevent these issues is the most efficient solution. Not only will a more modern water heater insulate already-hot water more effectively, but the technology within newer water heaters is more energy efficient than most older units.
Water Heater Temperature Too Low For Too Long
The simplest explanation as to why your water heater is not getting up to the desired temperature quickly enough is that the temperature may be set too low. This can simply be fixed by increasing the temperature of your water heater, but be careful. You don’t want to set the temperature too high to avoid the risk of scalding. Keeping the temperature below 120 degrees Fahrenheit is a good rule of thumb, but if you think you need it any higher, please don’t hesitate to give us a call so we can help you with the proper guidance and diagnostic work.
If your water heater is taking too long to heat up and you need water heater maintenance, such as any of the services listed above, or water heater replacement, contact Payless Water Heaters today! Don’t forget to check out our outstanding reviews!
