Managing Excessive Sediment In Your Water Heater When You Live In A Desert
Those who live in a desert know how difficult this environment can be on their house. One thing they may not realize is the way that a desert contributes to water heater sediment. Excessive sediment can be a major problem, meaning it is crucial to know how to manage this situation.
Sediment In A Water Heater Is Not Uncommon
Every water heater has some sediment on the bottom of the tank. This sediment naturally builds up there over time. For example, the debris from the side of the tank may fall off as it heats up. However, outside contaminants, such as sand and dirt from a desert, may end up getting flushed down a sink, toilet, or even a bathtub drain.
As a result, some of this sediment may find its way back to the tank. While this extra sediment may not be too bad at first, in can get to the point where it causes popping sounds, nasty smells, and other serious problems that you cannot afford to let happen to your water heater.
Problems Caused By This Sediment
Living in a desert is going to make it hard for you to keep sediment out of your water heater. After all, all that dirt and sand is liable to end up in there at some point. However, that doesn't mean that you have to tolerate this kind of situation. That's because excessive sediment can cause a wide variety of problems that can even break your system down.
For example, sediment causes unpleasant odors, poor water heating, lower levels of hot water, and a malfunction in your tank that can cause it to break down for good. Don't let this problem affect you and your water heater. Instead, you should flush your system out as soon as possible.
Managing This Situation
Those who live in a desert should take the time to seal off their basement or the area where they store their water heater to ensure that no dirt or sand can find its way inside. Then, they must also avoid flushing any sand or dirt down the sink to keep it as free from sediment as possible. After that, they can perform a simple flush of their water heater.
There are several ways you can do this step. Some will purchase a specific vacuum for this purpose and attach it directly to their water heater. However, others may actually build a system to flush out their water heater. This process can be a little complex and may require professional help if you make a mistake in assembling your tool.
Better yet, just contact a professional water heater repair specialists to manage the situation for you. They will fully understand how to flush your system and can even provide tips on how to keep sediment from building up any more in your water heater.