Cities We Serve
Austin Area:
San Antonio Area:
Not seeing your area? Give us a call at (833) 656-4056
Water Heater Maintenance
The Cheapest Water Heater Is the One You Already Own
Most water heaters in Austin and San Antonio are never touched between the day they are installed and the day they fail. That is a shame, because the thing that kills them is predictable and preventable. Hard water, and San Antonio’s Edwards Aquifer water in particular, drops calcium and magnesium into the tank every time it heats. The sediment builds a crust on the bottom that makes the burner or lower element overwork, and the anode rod that is supposed to protect the steel gets eaten up years before the tank is old.
An annual maintenance visit reverses most of that. We drain the sediment, check the anode rod and replace it if it is spent, test the temperature and pressure relief valve, check the incoming pressure and the expansion tank, look at the venting and gas connection or the electrical, and confirm the drain pan actually drains. On a tankless unit, we descale the heat exchanger and clean the inlet filter, which is the difference between a unit that lasts and one that throws error codes every summer.
Care Club members get an annual whole-home plumbing safety inspection, no dispatch fees and 5% off any repair we find. If the water heater flush is running as a special offer, it is on the offers page.
- Built for hard water Flushing and anode replacement matter more here than almost anywhere, and we do both rather than just draining a bucket.
- Safety checks included Relief valve, venting, gas connection, pressure and drain pan, the things that turn a tired heater into a dangerous one.
- No manufactured problems If the heater is in good shape, we tell you so. If something needs attention, you get a written price and the choice.
What to Watch For
Signs Your Water Heater Is Overdue for Service
None of these are emergencies yet. All of them get more expensive if they are ignored.
-
Popping or rumbling when it heats
Water trapped under sediment flashing to steam. It is the clearest sign a tank needs flushing.
-
Slower recovery than it used to have
Sediment insulates the bottom of the tank, so the burner or element works longer for the same hot water.
-
A gas or electric bill creeping up
A scaled tank or tankless exchanger runs longer to do the same job, and you pay for the difference every month.
-
No service in the last year
In Central Texas water, a year is long enough to matter. Three years without a flush is how tanks get to be unsalvageable.
-
A little moisture at the relief valve
Often a pressure problem rather than a valve problem. Maintenance catches it before the tank pays for it.
-
A tankless unit showing occasional codes
Scale in the heat exchanger and a clogged inlet filter cause most nuisance faults. Annual descaling clears them.
What We Do
What a Water Heater Maintenance Visit Includes
Not a quick drain and a sticker. A working inspection of the whole unit.
- Tank flush Draining the sediment that hard water leaves behind, until the water runs clear.
- Anode rod inspection Pulling the rod and checking how much is left. Replacing a spent anode is the single best thing you can do for a tank.
- Relief valve and pressure test Testing the T&P valve, measuring incoming pressure, and checking the expansion tank charge where one is installed.
- Burner, venting and gas check Burner flame, thermocouple, flue draft and gas connection on gas units. Elements and thermostats on electric.
- Tankless descaling Circulating descaling solution through the heat exchanger and cleaning the inlet screen and any recirculation components.
- Pan, drain and connections Making sure the pan drain runs somewhere, the shutoff valve turns, and the supply connectors are not corroding.
How It Works
What to Expect From a Maintenance Visit
About an hour for most tanks, a little longer for a tankless descale.
-
Pick a time
Maintenance is not an emergency, so we work around your schedule. Care Club members get priority booking.
-
We inspect first
Age, condition, pressure, venting and the pan. If the tank is too far gone to be worth flushing, we say so before we start.
-
Flush, descale and test
Sediment out, anode checked, relief valve tested, and the unit brought back up to temperature.
-
You get the findings
What we saw, what is fine, and what to plan for. Any repair comes as a written price you can accept or decline.
Current Specials
Save on the work your home needs most.
When Was Your Water Heater Last Flushed?
If the answer is never, this is the visit that adds years to it.
What Our Customers Say
Don't just take our word for it — hear from our satisfied customers
★★★★★
I had Radiant Plumbing replace my tankless water heater, damaged in the Feb. 2021 snowmageddon storm with a new unit. The process was smooth and professional from start to finish. The plumber, James, was extremely knowledgeable and thoroughly explained my options to me. The cost and time to perform the installation were just as estimated. When he was done, James explained how to maintain the system, what service would be needed and how to perform it, and answered all of my engineering geek questions. It was a thoroughly positive experience. I have used several different plumbers in Austin over the past 15 yrs, but my search is over - I will not hesitate to call Radiant next time and would recommend them unreservedly.
8/9/23 Update: I have subsequently used Radiant for a toilet repair, faucet installation (Danny), and drain work (Ezekiel) and they have continued to impress with knowledgeable, friendly plumbers and quality work.
8/9/23 Update: I have subsequently used Radiant for a toilet repair, faucet installation (Danny), and drain work (Ezekiel) and they have continued to impress with knowledgeable, friendly plumbers and quality work.
★★★★★
We called Radiant Plumbing after we noticed a water leak in our kitchen. We were in a time crunch and they were able to schedule us quickly, before we left for vacation. They sent their representative, Preston Nichols, and he was excellent to deal with! He was on time, skillful, friendly, and very professional. It turned out to be a problem with our dishwasher but Preston was quick to diagnose it and set our minds at ease. While he was here, we mentioned that our one year-old water heater needed to be flushed. Preston was quick to take care of that, as well, saving us time and money in the process. Radiant charged us almost half the price another plumber quoted us for that service! While Radiant Plumbing isn’t our usual plumber, they gained a new customer. We won’t hesitate to call Radiant again in the future based on our VERY positive experience with them.
★★★★★
Had 3 different systems installed by them approx. 3 years ago for a total of approx $20k. I was quite happy with the install until the year later when they came for a maintenance call and started finding deficiencies in their own install. they wanted extra money to address those deficiencies. Now I am in the process of selling my home and an inspector has found a few items that need to be addressed and they will not even look at the report unless I schedule a $139.00 service call. Very poor customer service.. This company does not stand by their work and would not recommend.
I am revising my review of this business from 1 to 5 stars. After my original review I was contacted by the company's service manager and he made sure that I was taken care off. I had a team of 3 technicians coming to my house to double check the system and make the necessary adjustments. I was very satisfied by their attention to details and professionalism.
I am revising my review of this business from 1 to 5 stars. After my original review I was contacted by the company's service manager and he made sure that I was taken care off. I had a team of 3 technicians coming to my house to double check the system and make the necessary adjustments. I was very satisfied by their attention to details and professionalism.
Maintenance Membership
Join the Care Club
Home maintenance for $9.99 a month.
Care Club members get two HVAC tune-ups and a plumbing safety inspection every year, priority scheduling, no dispatch fees — ever — and 5% off every repair.
- Priority scheduling
- Seasonal HVAC tune-ups
- Annual safety inspection
- Exclusive member discounts
- Free dispatch on repairs
- No long-term contracts
Water Heater Maintenance Questions
How often should a water heater be flushed in Austin or San Antonio?
Once a year is the right rhythm for a tank heater here, and it is not overkill. The water across Central Texas is hard, and San Antonio’s Edwards Aquifer supply is harder still, so a tank collects sediment faster than the once-every-few-years advice you might read for other parts of the country. Tankless units should be descaled on the same annual schedule, because scale in the heat exchanger is what causes most of their faults. If you have a water softener, the buildup slows dramatically, but an annual inspection is still worth it for the anode rod, relief valve and connections.
What is an anode rod and why does it matter?
The anode rod is a metal rod, usually magnesium or aluminum, screwed into the top of a tank water heater. It is designed to corrode so the steel tank does not; water attacks the rod first because it is the more reactive metal. Once the rod is consumed, the tank becomes the sacrificial part, and rust follows. In our water, a rod can be gone in a few years. Checking it takes a few minutes during a maintenance visit, and replacing it costs a fraction of what a new heater does. It is the closest thing to a cheat code for water heater life.
Does Care Club include water heater maintenance?
Care Club is $9.99 a month and includes an annual whole-home plumbing safety inspection, which covers your water heater along with the rest of the supply lines, drains and shutoffs. Members also get two HVAC tune-ups a year, no dispatch fees ever, 5% off repairs, priority service and 24/7 emergency service at standard rates. If the inspection shows the tank needs a flush or the anode is spent, that work is quoted in writing with the member discount applied. Ask your plumber or check the offers page for any current water heater flush special.
Can I flush my water heater myself?
You can, and plenty of homeowners do. Turn off the power or set the gas to pilot, close the cold supply, connect a hose to the drain valve, open a hot tap somewhere in the house, and drain until the water runs clear. Two cautions. The water is hot enough to scald, so let it cool or be careful with the hose. And plastic drain valves on older tanks often will not close again once opened, which turns a chore into a service call. A professional visit also checks the anode rod, the relief valve, the pressure and the venting, which a garden hose does not, so even if you flush it yourself, have it inspected every year or two.
*Offers cannot be combined with other promotions or applied to dispatch fees. No cash value. Must present offer at time of service. Call for details.
