The short answer
The worst things you can do to a water heater in Northern Virginia are capping the relief valve, storing gasoline or paint next to it, and cranking the dial past 120 to stretch the hot water. The most common is simpler: ignoring it until it leaks. Here’s the list we’d give a neighbor. How to take care of one is its own post, and it is right here.
The ones that matter most
Don’t cap or plug the relief valve. The temperature and pressure relief valve is the pipe on the side or top of the tank. It’s the safety, the thing that lets pressure out if the tank gets too hot. A drip from it is telling you something. Find out what. Don’t shut it up.
Don’t store flammables near a gas tank. The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that vapors from gasoline and other flammable liquids can travel along the floor and catch at the flame. Gas cans, paint and solvents go somewhere else.
Don’t turn it past 120 to get more hot water. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends 120 degrees because hotter water scalds fast, especially for kids and older adults. If hot water’s running out, winter is usually why, and here is what to do.
Don’t work on a gas line or vent yourself. A bad gas joint is a leak, and a bad vent puts carbon monoxide in the house. Gas line work is a job for a licensed pro. If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas company from outside.
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Maintenance mistakes
Swipe to see all columns →
Swipe to see all columns →
| Don’t | Why not |
|---|---|
| Flush a tank that’s never been flushed, on your own, when it’s old | Years of sediment can be what’s holding a weak spot closed, and an old drain valve may not close again. Have someone look first. |
| Drain it without turning off the gas or power | On an electric tank, power with no water burns out the elements in seconds. Set a gas tank to pilot or vacation. |
| Restore power before the tank is full | Same reason. Open a hot faucet and wait until water runs steady, then turn it on. |
| Forget the anode rod | It’s the metal rod that corrodes so the tank doesn’t. When it’s gone, the tank is next. |
| Wrap a gas tank tight in a blanket | It needs air at the bottom and at the top, and the controls can’t be covered. Follow the maker’s instructions for your tank. |
| Ignore a hard water problem | Scale builds up in the tank and costs you hot water. What hard water does around here. |
What not to ignore
Water at the base. A little can be a drain valve or a fitting. A steady leak from the tank itself means it’s done. How to tell which one you have.
Popping or rumbling. That’s usually water boiling up through sediment on the bottom of the tank.
Rusty hot water, and only the hot. That can mean the inside of the tank has started to go.
A missing expansion tank. Many homes need one, and a house without one can put extra pressure on everything. What it does and when you need one.
No hot water at all. Check these things first, because some are a free fix.
Don’t wait for the flood
Most tanks don’t send a letter. How long a water heater really lasts tells you where yours stands, and the year is usually on the label. If yours is old, know where the shutoff is now: find your valves today. Going away for a while? Here is what to do with the water. And don’t swap a tank yourself to save a little: a replacement usually takes a permit, the venting has to be right, and if it’s installed wrong, you’re the one who finds out.
Questions people ask
What temperature should a water heater be set to?
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends 120 degrees. Hotter than that raises the scald risk, especially for kids and older adults.
Should I cap a dripping relief valve?
Never. That valve is what lets pressure out of the tank if something goes wrong. Plugging it takes away the safety, so call a plumber and find out why it’s dripping.
Is it OK to flush a water heater that’s never been flushed?
On an older tank, have a plumber look first. Years of sediment can be the thing holding a weak spot closed, and a drain valve that hasn’t moved in years may not close again.
Can I keep things next to my water heater?
Keep it clear. The Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that vapors from gasoline and other flammable liquids can reach a gas water heater’s flame and ignite.
Book it
Yours hasn’t been looked at in a while? The $99 water heater flush includes a walk through the house’s plumbing with photos. Book it from goswiftpro.com/cookiesoffer and free MOLTN cookies come with the visit. Or call (703) 997-9757. SwiftPro is rated 5.0 stars across 1,138 reviews on Google, Angi, Yelp, the BBB and Facebook, Virginia Class A license 2705192276.
