6 Benefits of Having a Water Heater in Weatherford, TX

Hot water is one of the most essential conveniences of modern homes. The ability to simply turn a knob or flip a handle and get hot water in seconds is something that our ancestors could only dream of. Keeping an eye on the effectiveness and efficiency of your water heater is essential for maintaining the comfort that this important appliance provides. 

Even people who are determined to go “off the grid” find that hot water is still a must. Not many people go to the extreme of eliminating a water heater, of course. However, if you’re not attentive to the condition of yours, you might get these reminders of why water heaters are so helpful.

1. Safe Heating of Water

The most important safety benefit of a water heater is that everything is safely contained inside the heater itself and the pipes connected to it. Heating water on a stove or in a microwave requires that you heat up some type of open container filled with water. This presents a lot of safety hazards to you and everyone who lives with you.

First, a hot stove burner is always a hazard. Nearby materials can be ignited, causing a fire. Children can accidentally touch the hot container or the burner itself, which will remain too hot to touch for a long time after it is turned off. Second, carrying an open container of very hot water can lead to scald injuries if it spills or even sloshes. 

Finally, there is a high risk of scalding as you dump the hot water for use in a sink, tub, or other place. The more water you need, the more trips you make and the greater the chances of a spill and an injury. It is not safe to go without a modern water heater to provide your household with a controlled source of hot water.

2. Easy Temperature Management

It is simple to maintain a safe temperature with a water heater. You simply set the thermostat to a starting temperature, then make adjustments as you experiment with different uses. If you’re heating up water with a stove or using some other method, that is almost impossible to do because there is nothing to regulate the temperature. 

You’ll spend so much time adjusting the burner temperature, then checking a thermometer, that you may finally give up and just guess at it, and that’s a dangerous thing to do! It’s never safe to bathe or wash with water that may be too hot. A water heater will provide your shower or sink with water of a known temperature, controlled by a reliable thermostat that has been properly adjusted by our team.

3. Sanitation

Creating your own hot water would be dangerous and difficult, but your household health would demand that you do it anyway. Hot water is one of the safest and cheapest cleaning agents we can use. It is the best choice for killing bacteria, viruses, and all kinds of germs. We use hot water to clean everything from our floors to our silverware and our clothing to our hands. 

Without an abundant supply of hot water to do these things, your health could suffer. You might also find yourself spending a lot of money on cleaning products that could damage floor coverings, paint, and clothing, not to mention pollute the environment. With hot water, you’re saving yourself a lot of money and mess.

4. Health

One specific part of household sanitation that is very important with hot water is the ability to take a hot shower or bath. After a long day at work or play, we all know we will feel better after a warm shower, but it’s more than just an issue of comfort. Bathing helps prevent and treat lots of illnesses, just as handwashing does. 

Hot water can also be a key part of a healthcare provider’s advice for treating a sick family member at home. Steam can be the perfect solution to sinus congestion and discomfort, helping you open those clogged airways and breathe freely again. You may also enjoy a hot towel to ease a headache or open the pores of your face. There’s no better way to relieve your feet after a hard day of work or long hours in cold weather than to let them soak in a pan of hot water.

5. Easy Food Preparation

Hot water doesn’t just help us clean our pots, pans, and dishes. It also helps us get them dirty! While boiling water is the only safe option for many recipes, there are still some things you can do in the kitchen with hot water. Even something as simple as scooping out ice cream is easier when you dip the utensil in hot water first. 

Some recipes specify using hot water instead of boiling or cold water when putting ingredients together before cooking or baking. Then there’s cleanup, which is much easier when you have hot water running to your sink or dishwasher. Going without hot water means washing every single mug and fork by hand – a big waste of your time and a tough way to treat your skin.

6. Energy Efficiency

The biggest waste of heat is when we fail to contain it. Using a stovetop to boil water for other uses is kind of like running your heater while the doors and windows are open. You’re letting a lot of your energy go to waste in the form of steam. A well-maintained, modern water heater keeps all that heat inside, using it to get your water to the correct temperature instead of providing damp heat in your home. 

Transporting hot water from a stovetop to another use in the house is dangerous, as we’ve mentioned earlier. It’s also wasteful because the water cools off as you carry it from place to place. The best way to heat your water is to keep it in an insulated tank, not in an open pot!

Contact Us Today

At Lightfoot Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical, we have seen countless times how inconvenient it is to be without hot water. You may call us to report that your water heater is no longer working. If so, we will make it a priority to get to you quickly and get your family’s supply of hot water restored as soon as possible. We will help you choose the size and type of water heater that will work best for your Weatherford, TX home and your budget, then install it with careful attention to performance and safety. 

Our team will give our full attention to your water heater issue as well as your heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical needs. We are known for our professional attitude, quality workmanship, and focus on the smallest details. 

Don’t take a chance with your water heater. If it is not working correctly, give us a call at Lightfoot Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical right away.