Congratulations if you have recently purchased a new home! With this new home ownership, you will come across various responsibilities, one being, your HVAC.

If you are one of the people who’s unsure what to do with it or how to maintain it, you’ve come to the right place. Here are some basics about hot water heaters, as a new homeowner, you should know.

There are 7 types of water heaters

Tank water heater, tankless water heater, point-of-use water heater, solar water heater, hybrid water heater, combination boiler water heater, and condensing water heater. First, choose if you want a tank or tankless, and from there decide what’s best based on efficiency, affordability, and occupancy.

Cleaning it can’t be avoided

Cleaning and maintenance are required to ensure the water will heat up when needed and keep the hot water clean and flowing through the plumbing system. Keeping up with this will extend the lifespan and make certain you have the proper amount of domestic water running in your home.

Maintenance risks

Don’t set aside water heater maintenance for too long. The dangers of this are overheating, which causes a thermal explosion, possible natural gas or carbon monoxide leakage, and a minor risk of electrical shock if your water heater is electrical and installed incorrectly.

What to look out for

If you think your water heater needs checked out, look for a few signs like having no hot water even with it cranked all the way up, your water is under or overheating, and the thermostat is faulty.  

Because water heaters come with some risks to families, a permit is required for installation. This permit allows a third-party to come inspect and make sure nothing is missed and your

family is living in a safe harmless space. If you think there may be something wrong contact a professional to prevent harm in your home.